Group attacks police at boardinghouse
Group attacks police at boardinghouse
BOGOR (JP): A Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) officer was hurt
and two motorcycles were destroyed on Friday evening when a group
of about 75 men attacked a boardinghouse in Kedung Halang.
The attack on the boardinghouse rented by Brimob officers was
believed to be the continuation of a dispute between the officers
and members of the 10th/76 Artillery Battalion in Ciluar which
erupted last Sunday.
An eyewitness said that he saw the men -- all with crewcuts
and carrying bayonets, sickles and other sharp weapons -- arrive
in four military Land Rovers and run rampage through the
boardinghouse belonging to local resident Agus Komara.
The boardinghouse was occupied by Chief Sgt. Supriadi, First
Sgt. Syamsulrizal, Second Sgt. Tito, Second Sgt. Erwin and
Prawoto, a civilian working for Brimob headquarters.
"I didn't know what exactly was happening. I just saw the
Brimob officers escape when the group of attackers started their
action," the eyewitness who spoke on the condition of anonymity
said.
"The men assaulted First Sgt. Robert Noven, who was playing
the guitar in Supriadi's room. They beat up Robert."
Robert was rushed to the PMI Hospital in Kedung Halang, before
being moved to the Kramat Jati Police Hospital in Jakarta on
Saturday.
Boardinghouse owner Agus said he saw four military vehicles
parked near the house when the attack occurred.
The boardinghouse, located on Jl. Pembangunan Kaum in North
Bogor district, consists of eight separate units, six of them
rented by Brimob officers.
The house is about two kilometers from Regiment I of Brimob
headquarters.
"After destroying the officers' rooms and attacking Robert,
the men burned two motorcycles parked in the complex," the
eyewitness said.
The motorcycles were later identified as belonging to
Syamsulrizal and Supriadi.
No military police officers arrived to intervene and the
incident ended when the men drove off in the vehicles.
Eyewitnesses said they believed the attack was linked to last
Sunday's clash between Kedung Halang Brimob officers and their
counterparts from the artillery battalion.
The clash, which left at least one Brimob and one artillery
personnel injured, started with a heated argument between the two
groups at a billiard hall at Jambu Dua Mall.
Efforts to settle the dispute were made by senior officers
from both sides. However, no firm deal was reached before
Friday's incident. (21/sur)