Man Dies After Falling From PIM 2 Mall; Witness Says Victim Was Breathing and Convulsing

A man died after falling to the lower level of Pondok Indah Mall 2 in South Jakarta on Sunday afternoon. The incident occurred at about 1:00 p.m. local time. Several employees who were nearby at the time said they saw the victim lying on the floor shortly after the fall.

Imam (not his real name), a staff member at a shop in the mall, said the victim appeared to be alive when he was first found on the ground floor. He could not say for certain whether the man jumped or fell, but noted that the mall was crowded at the time.

“The fall happened here. I don’t know for sure if he jumped or what, but he had already fallen. There were many people passing by at the time,” he said.

Another witness, Erik (also a pseudonym), who works at a store in the mall, suggested the man had jumped from the upper level.

“From what people say, he jumped. If he had fallen normally, the railing wouldn’t be that tall, especially given his size,” Erik said.

He added that after the fall the victim showed signs of life for a moment.

“When he fell, he was still alive, convulsing. There was no blood at all; maybe there was blood inside,” he said.

Around the area there were pedestrian walkways for visitors and glass barriers along the escalator. The area serves as a passage for people going up and down via the escalator.

Kebayoran Lama Police Precinct Chief, Comr. Muhammad Kukuh Islami, said the victim was suspected of taking his own life.

“Yes, we confirm the incident; it was suicide,” Kukuh Islami told Kompas.com when contacted.