Wed, 10 May 2000

Man killed by mob on ship

JAKARTA (JP): Angry passengers onboard the KM Bukit Siguntang mobbed a man to death on Tuesday after he was caught stabbing the ship's security guard two hours before it reached Tanjung Priok Port.

A source at Tanjung Priok Police (KP3) identified the dead suspect as Tareka. The security guard was identified as Budi Siswanto.

"Budi is currently in Pelni Petamburan Hospital. We cannot question him until he has recovered. According to Tareka's family, Tareka had lately been stressed out. The family refused to say over what," the source said.

"The ship itself was headed for Ujungpandang (Makassar), and had set sail from Kijang Port on Bintan island, Riau province. It was making a stopover at Tanjung Priok. The suspect's corpse was taken to Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital's morgue."

The source said at about 7:30 a.m. Budi was about to enter the ship's toilet, when Tareka came over and stabbed him in the stomach.

"The victim screamed for help and immediately passengers on board beat the suspect till he died. He suffered severe body and facial wounds," the source said. (ylt)