Farmer beheaded in water dispute

INDONESIA: A farmer from Bengkulu village, Bandu Agung was beheaded during a dispute over irrigation water, Antara reported.

Police said Saturday that Ceman, 35, was killed on Wednesday by his neighbor identified only as Sar, 32, who later surrendered to police.

South Bengkulu Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Djumli Syafrudin said Ceman accused Sar of controlling the irrigation water in his favor so it did not flow to Ceman's rice field.

"On Wednesday, they ran into each other in a rice field and Sar used his machete to kill Ceman there," he said. "I think it is quite a rare crime."

Riuslan, a resident of the neighboring village of Padang Guci, said conflict among farmers over irrigation water occurred frequently there. -- Antara