Drunk soldiers beaten by mob

Drunk soldiers beaten by mob

JAKARTA (JP): Two drunk Army privates suffered serious
injuries during a brawl with a group of men in a notorious
section of Kemayoran district in Central Jakarta early on
Wednesday, police said.

The brawl occurred at the site of a disused Merpati Nusantara
Airlines hangar which now houses drinking establishments
frequented by prostitutes.

Second Pvt. Almada, 23, First Pvt. Ramei, 25, and a third
unidentified soldier were drinking in the area late on Tuesday,
Kemayoran Police chief Maj. Edy Iswanto said in quoting
witnesses.

The three were already drunk when they provoked a group of men
drinking in a bar by taking away their drinks.

A fight broke out, with the soldiers brandishing knives
against the men, who retaliated with broken bottles.

Edy could not say how many people were involved in the fight
but said the soldiers were outnumbered, especially after the
third soldier fled to try to notify his colleagues from the
Army's Heavy Armor battalion.

Two trucks from the battalion based in nearby Senen district
arrived later, but by then the crowd had dispersed.

The two badly hurt soldiers were taken by pedicab drivers to
Kemayoran Police station, where officers transported them to
Gatot Soebroto Army Hospital in Central Jakarta.

Jakarta Military Command spokesman Lt. Col. D.J. Nachrowi
confirmed the incident and said an investigation was under way.
(06)