Man held for beating cop

JAKARTA (JP): A man who claimed to be a lawyer was arrested Saturday for beating a traffic policeman in Bekasi, police said yesterday.

City Police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said that Chief Corporal Warsono was still undergoing medical treatment at Bekasi Hospital for severe facial injuries.

The man, identified as Syarifuddin Mela, was being detained at Bekasi Police precinct.

"Syarifuddin punched and kicked Warsono after both were involved in an argument," Aritonang said.

Syarifuddin, who claimed to work at Amir Yan Aziz law firm in Kebon Bawang, North Jakarta, argued with Warsono after the officer warned him not to pass other cars lining up in heavy congestion near the Bekasi toll road exit.

Witnesses said Syarifuddin got angry and challenged Warsono to fight. People tried to calm Syarifuddin down, but he was so angry that he kept challenging Warsono to a duel.

Witnesses said Syarifuddin might have gotten angry because Warsono had allegedly hit Syarifuddin's car when he warned him of the way he was driving.

Aritonang said Warsono rejected Syarifuddin's challenge and instead asked the man to calm himself down and to keep driving along.

"Warsono thought Syarifuddin was in the Army. That's why he stopped arguing and asked Syarifuddin to move on," Aritonang said.

However, the angry Syarifuddin stepped out of the car and punched Warsono in the face with brass knuckles. (cst)