Legal Team of KontraS Activist Calls for Deeper Investigation into Found Bottle and Helmet from Acid Attack

The Advocacy Team for Democracy (TAUD), which serves as the legal representative of KontraS deputy coordinator Andrie Yunus, has formed an independent investigation team to investigate the acid attack case. TAUD requested that police conduct deeper investigations into findings including a bottle and helmet allegedly belonging to the suspected perpetrator.

This was announced at a press conference broadcast on YouTube YLBHI on Monday, 16 March 2026. Jane Rosalina Rumpia, a representative of TAUD, initially revealed the extent of injuries sustained by Andrie Yunus. She stated that the victim’s right eye was among the most severely affected areas.

“Andrie has sustained burn injuries covering 24 percent of his body as a result of inflammation from caustic liquid that contacted his skin. The injuries are on the right side of his face, right eye, right hand, and chest, with the most serious being the right eye and currently under specialised care from an eye surgery specialist,” she explained.

She also urged all parties not to visit him directly at the hospital, except for family members providing support. According to her, Andrie requires sterile care.

“We emphasise that direct visits to the hospital are not necessary because today the hospital is where our colleague is undergoing treatment and recovery, so the patient is entitled to safe and quality healthcare and more intensive protection of privacy during the treatment period,” she explained.

The legal team’s press conference for Andrie Yunus was held following a press conference by the Jakarta Metropolitan Police (Polda Metro Jaya). At the police press conference, details were provided regarding findings of a container allegedly containing caustic liquid and a helmet belonging to the suspected perpetrator.

Erlangga Julio, a representative of TAUD, assessed that the Jakarta Metropolitan Police’s statement regarding evidence was incomplete. He stated that findings of the bottle allegedly containing caustic liquid had not been disclosed to the public.

“There is still evidence that was not mentioned in the press conference but which we have already provided to the Mobile Response Team of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police. One important piece of evidence that we wish to emphasise is the discovery of one bottle suspected of being used to spray caustic liquid on Andrie Yunus; the bottle is purple in colour and may possibly be a tumbler given its thickness,” Julio said.

Julio stated that the bottle was discovered by a witness near the crime scene and was successfully secured. He requested that the findings regarding the bottle be investigated more thoroughly.

“(The bottle) was discovered by a witness at the scene and was successfully secured, so we brought it and assisted that witness in handing it over to the Mobile Response Team of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, and this was not mentioned in the Jakarta Metropolitan Police’s press conference and this is important for further investigation,” he said.

He also stated that an independent investigation team had been formed to work alongside the police investigation. From the findings of the independent investigation team, it is suspected that the perpetrator may also have sustained injuries from spraying caustic liquid.

“From several analyses by our investigation team and the Jakarta Metropolitan Police’s press conference, it can be seen that the perpetrator who carried out the acid attack moved in the opposite direction and it was also announced that the police apparently found the perpetrator’s helmet,” he said.

Julio suspected that, based on the findings of the bottle and helmet, there is a strong possibility that the perpetrator was also splashed with caustic liquid. According to him, it would be unlikely for the perpetrator to discard evidence near the crime scene.

“It would be almost impossible for the perpetrator to discard the bottle, evidence that they might have discarded because they were splashed by it, and why would they discard their own helmet if they were not possibly hit by caustic liquid and injured on the head,” he said.

“So we strongly suspect that the perpetrator may also have been injured by the caustic liquid they sprayed. We want to convey that this is why it is relevant that an independent investigation team was formed which also works alongside the investigation team from the police force because of several facts as mentioned,” he added.

Police Explanation Regarding Suspected Perpetrator’s Helmet

Jakarta Metropolitan Police’s Criminal Investigation Director, Senior Commissioner Iman Imanuddin, explained that forensic laboratory testing was being conducted on objects found around the crime scene. These items included the victim’s helmet and a caustic liquid container.

“Currently we are conducting forensic laboratory testing on evidence found at the crime scene,” said Iman at the press conference at the Jakarta Metropolitan Police.

Objects being tested include the helmet used by the victim and the caustic liquid container. It is hoped that the perpetrator’s fingerprints and DNA traces can be found on the container and other objects being tested.

“In the form of the helmet and the container suspected of being used to store the chemical liquid. We very much hope that the results of the forensic laboratory testing will find fingerprints from the perpetrator,” he said.

“And also DNA from the perpetrator that may be attached to the helmet in question. So, regarding the suspect or perpetrator, we have stated that we have not yet taken coercive measures,” Iman added.

Central Jakarta Police Commander Senior Commissioner Reynold Hutagalung added that they discovered a helmet suspected of belonging to the perpetrator of the acid attack against Andrie Yunus. Reynold stated that the helmet is consistent with CCTV footage showing the perpetrator wearing it.

“From searches along Salemba 1 Street, evidence suspected of belonging to the perpetrator was found on Salemba 1 Street heading towards RSCM. This is consistent with CCTV footage showing that the perpetrator riding used this helmet,” said Reynold.

The helmet was then sent to the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Directorate for fingerprinting.

“And on 15 March 2026 we sent the suspected perpetrator’s helmet as evidence to the National Police’s Fingerprint Identification Centre to obtain fingerprints and to the National Police’s Forensic Laboratory to obtain DNA suspected to belong to the perpetrator,” he said.