Gunmen kills man, wounds his wife in Aceh Besar

Gunmen kills man, wounds his wife in Aceh Besar

The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

It was probably intended to be a romantic-evening-walk home for the newly wed couple, but fate, or the war in Aceh, decided otherwise.

Zaini, 24, and his wife Cut Zuraida, 20, arrived home, in Tanah Abee, Seulimum district, Aceh Besar regency, to the shots of an unidentified gunman. Zaini was hit in the neck and chest and died at the scene, while his wife sustained bullet wounds to the arm and shoulder, said Aceh Besar Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Heru Budi Ersanto, as quoted by Antara on Saturday.

Heru suspected that members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) were responsible.

The incident occurred on Thursday at 9:15 p.m. as the couple were about to arrive home after visiting Cut Zuraida's parents, who lived only 100 meters away.

Heru said police were having trouble determining the motive behind the murders as there were no witnesses. Neighbors heard the shots but were too scared to come out of their houses. After about half an hour they emerged in order to help the victims.

Antara reported that Zaini had married his childhood sweetheart Zuraida the day before and had planned to take her to Tangerang, Banten, where he had been working for the past three years.

Police are still looking for the gunmen.