East Java Police Pursue Suspects in Murder of Bangkalan Official

The East Java Regional Police (Polda Jatim) have confirmed they are pursuing the suspected perpetrator of the murder of the Secretary of the Public Housing and Settlement Areas Office (PRKP) of the Bangkalan Regency Government, identified by the initials RYS (51). His body was discovered inside his official car in the parking area of Terminal 1 at Juanda International Airport. Kasubdit III Jatanras of the Polda Jatim Criminal Investigation Directorate, AKBP Arbaridi Jumhur, stated that his team is assisting the Sidoarjo Resort Police in chasing the suspect, who is believed to have fled to several cities. “That’s correct, we are providing full backup for this case. We have divided our members into several teams to pursue the suspected perpetrator in a number of cities,” Jumhur said on Monday (5/7). Jumhur explained that one team is moving westwards. However, the police have not yet disclosed the specific locations of the operation in the interest of the investigation. “Yes, heading west. We will provide an update once we have results,” he said. Meanwhile, the victim’s family lawyer, Risang Bima Wijaya, said the family welcomed the East Java Police’s direct involvement in assisting the manhunt. Separately, Sidoarjo Police Criminal Investigation Unit Head, Kompol Siko Sesaria Putra, stated that the preliminary investigation points to a criminal act of murder. However, he did not divulge detailed developments in the investigation. “It is still under investigation, we will inform you once there is an official release,” he said. RYS (51) was found dead under mysterious circumstances in his official car in the parking area of Terminal 1 at Juanda International Airport on Wednesday (24/6). The suspicion of murder strengthened after a forensic team from the Bhayangkara Pusdik Sabhara Porong Hospital found several indications of violence on the victim’s body. An external examination revealed a laceration on the left ear caused by blunt force trauma. In addition, the forensic doctor also found dilated blood vessels in the eyelids and bluish discolouration of the lips, which are commonly found in victims who die from suffocation or asphyxia. An internal organ examination also showed discolouration of the tongue, epiglottis, upper respiratory tract, and stomach wall. However, the exact cause of death could not be immediately determined due to the advanced state of decomposition of the victim’s organs. Police are currently awaiting the results of a toxicology examination from the East Java Police Forensic Laboratory on samples of the victim’s kidneys, stomach and its contents, and fingernails.