Group in military garb storms police post, injures six

Group in military garb storms police post, injures six

JAKARTA (JP): A group of some 30 men in military uniforms
attacked on Thursday a traffic police post in Johar, Karawang, 45
kilometers east of here, and beat five of six on-duty officers
and vandalized six motorbikes, a local police source said.

The men -- most riding motorcycles -- later attacked Chief
Sgt. Maj. Budiantara of the Tanjung Pura Police and took his gun
and cellular phone, the officer, who spoke on the condition of
anonymity, told The Jakarta Post by phone.

None of the officers could be reached for comment but the
police source said the men ran amok after one of their
colleagues, Chief Sgt. Atang of the Pedes Military Subdistrict
Command, was detained by local police after questioning
overnight.

Atang, the officer said, was a witness in an attempted
automobile theft.

"Atang was actually handed over to the Karawang Military
Police," he said on further explanation.

On Wednesday evening, about 200 angry locals from Pedes
district, 20 kilometers from Karawang, attacked the local police
post after hearing a rumor that Atang was tortured during police
questioning.

The mob injured at least four police officers, the source
said.

The attack on Thursday started at about 10 a.m.

"When the group of men, who were cruising on motorcycles
around town and honking their horns, passed the Johar post, they
assaulted the five traffic policemen and wrecked six motorbikes
parked nearby," the officer said.

Four of the officers suffered minor injuries, while Sgt. Maj.
Burhanuddin was admitted to Karawang Hospital for multiple
wounds.

The group of 30 men continued to Karawang Police Headquarters,
the officer said.

"Officers who witnessed the fray at the Johar post sped to the
station to warn about a possible attack.

"Things got hot as we eventually drove them away," the officer
said.

"We managed to grab one of them during the incident, but we
let him go and told him to tell his friends to back off and end
the dispute.

"Actually, we know all of them well as we serve in the same
district," the detective said.

The men retreated but drove to nearby Tanjung Pura Police
post, where they assaulted officer Budiantara, he said.

"Some of the troops first shouted 'thief, thief' and about 15
soldiers then mobbed Sgt. Budiantara, while onlookers could only
watch without doing anything," the officer said.

Budiantara was also admitted to Karawang General Hospital.

Local authorities later met and settled their differences at
about noon on Thursday, he said.

"The Karawang Military District chief also has officially
returned the gun back to the police," he said.

During the incident on Wednesday, people initially wanted the
police to hand Atang over to them because they believed that the
sergeant had done nothing wrong, he said.

"Atang told the locals after questioning that he was treated
well at the Pedes Police post and he acknowledged his wrongdoing
as he had purchased a stolen motorbike," the officer said.

But not long after Atang was released, rumors circulated that
he was tortured at the post.

"Mobs than attacked the post, leaving four officers injured,"
the detective said.

He identified the wounded police officers as Second Sgt. Luki
Esa, Second Sgt. Dadang Romansyah, Second Sgt. Susanto and Second
Sgt. Asep Dedi.

The detective said the men "did not know that the police were
only questioning and not detaining" Atang, and that he had been
handed over to the military district command in Karawang.

Police believe that members of an automobile theft ring
incited hundreds of locals to attack the Pedes Police post.

Atang is reportedly believed to have been a noted fence for
goods stolen by local thieves.

The police source, however, said Atang's associates had
provoked colleagues into believing the police had wrongfully
detained Atang. (edt)