Eight people die in two days of violence in city

JAKARTA (JP): Eight people have died in violent clashes across the city in the past two days. Their bodies were admitted to the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital morgue on Friday.

Three people jumped into the Cakung Drainage in North Jakarta on Thursday morning to escape pursuing local residents angry because the trio allegedly attempted to steal a truck's tires, a duty officer of the Cilincing Police subprecinct told reporters.

The three, all age 24, were identified as Hamdan, Novel and Ahmad Dahir, all residents of Kampung Sawah area, Cilincing district, North Jakarta.

The officer said the three were about to loosen a truck's wheel, which was parked on the street, when the truck driver's assistant yelled at them to prevent the theft. Hamdan then jumped at the assistant driver and struck him on the back of his head with the lug wrench.

Local residents, who heard the assistant screaming, raced to the scene to help him, while others ran after the fleeing trio.

They ran toward the Cakung Drainage and were cornered by the angry mob. They then jumped into the river and were found dead the next morning (Friday).

Separately, another three men in their 30s died after being attacked and burned by residents for their alleged attempt to burgle an empty house at the Carina Sayang housing complex, Rawa Buaya area, Cengkareng district, West Jakarta.

"Wijianto and Aris died on the scene after being beaten by angry residents, who also burned their bodies," Mrs. Tony, the landlady of the three men, told reporters at the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital morgue on Friday.

Their accomplice, Markum, who was rushed to the Police Hospital in Kramat Jati, East Jakarta, died a few hours later, she said.

The seventh victim was Bintoro, alias Bibin, 23, a resident of Jl. Flamboyan in Bekasi.

"Bintoro was beaten to death by local residents when he reportedly forced a young girl to give him money. They heard the girl's scream and chased him," an officer at the Bekasi Police precinct told reporters.

Bibin died with serious head injuries and bruises all over his body.

In another part of the capital, 55-year-old Zahar was crushed to death in the middle of a student brawl that took place in a bus plying the Tanjung Priok-Pulogadung route.

Rizal, the victim's nephew, said Zahar was heading to his son's house in Pulogadung, East Jakarta. As the bus was passing through Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan, a gang of students blocked the road and got onto the bus to attack their adversaries.

The victim, one of the passengers, was scared and tried to get off the bus but he failed. He fell during the fighting and was crushed to death by the disputing students.

Zahar died on the bus and two other passengers were rushed to the nearby Mediros hospital for treatment. (06)