Man beaten to death over ID

SURABAYA (JP): Relatives of Teguh Soenarto, who allegedly died of injuries caused by police, asked the Jakarta-based National Commission on Human Rights yesterday to follow-up the allegations.

Lawyer Trimoelja D. Soerjadi speaking for Teguh's parents said the Surabaya dockyard worker's family was worried that the alleged murder, reportedly because Teguh failed to produce his identity card during a police raid, would be put on the back burner by the police.

Teguh, 24, alias Atok, died at Dr. Sutomo General Hospital last Thursday after nine days of treatment following a beating by officers at Tanjung Perak Naval Police Precinct.

Teguh and three friends were arrested on March 17 in a police check on identity cards.

"They were taken to a police cell where they were beaten and kicked by police officers and other detainees," Trimoelja said.

East Java Police spokesman Lt. Col. Safwat Hadi declined to comment. He said his office needed to coordinate with other institutions before further investigating the matter.

"We'll punish the police officers if they violated procedures," he said. (nur)