Man held for beating cop

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)