Electrician burned to death

Electrician burned to death

JAKARTA (JP): A man has been burned to death and four others slightly injured when a driver poured paint thinner over his employer and ignited it in a blaze of anger.

The target of the attack, identified as Suwarno, in his 30s, died yesterday morning at the Pertamina hospital in South Jakarta after being in a critical condition since the incident on Monday at the PT Daya Kencana building on Jl. Denpasar, police said yesterday.

The four other people were injured while trying to help him. Two of them, identified as Joko and Ibrahim, are still being treated at the Jakarta hospital. The remaining two, Hasan and Janiran, have been discharged.

The suspect, identified as Adi Puspita, is still at large.

"The local police were only informed of the incident by Suwarno's relatives," City Police Spokesman Lt. Col. Iman Haryatna said. "We really regret such a late report."

According to the head of Setiabudi police subprecinct, Maj. Bambang Hermanu, a number of people, including the surviving victims, have been questioned.

Two different motives for the burning have been given.

The police version said that Adi, Suwarno's driver, was fed up after being accused by the victim of having broken a telephone set at the office.

The other version came from a neighbor of the victim, who said that Adi, had been upset by Suwarno's advice not to have an affair with a women named Rina.

Adi was angry with Suwarno after Rina ended their relationship. He accused Suwarno of asking Rina to leave him, the neighbor said.

Suwarno and Adi, are both residents of Jl. Bunda Jaya, Duren Sawit, East Jakarta. (bsr/04)