Man queried over slashing

JAKARTA (JP): The city police would thoroughly question businessman Johny for allegedly slashing Prayitno -- both are residents of Jl. Duri Utara II in West Jakarta -- with a sword in a quarrel which then led to a bigger clash.

City police spokesman Lt. Col. Edward Aritonang said on Tuesday that the incident which occurred on late Monday was sparked by a trivial misunderstanding between Johny and other residents.

"Johny is now under city police custody and we'll question him thoroughly," he said.

As was earlier reported, the incident began at around 4:30 p.m., when local youths hit Johny's Suzuki Carry minibus parked in front of his house with a ball they were playing with.

Johny came out of his house angrily brandishing a samurai sword in his hand.

After a short quarrel, Johny chased the youths and wounded 18- year-old Prayitno in his upper abdomen before he ran off and hid inside his house.

Residents got angry and surrounded Johny's house, asking for him to take responsibility.

"Somebody started shouting, 'Damage his car,' then people pelted stones and any hard objects at the car," a local said.

After damaging Johny's car, residents of the neighborhood, attacked his house but later turned on security personnel who were deployed to calm the incensed crowd as two armored vehicles suddenly stopped in front of Johny's house to evacuate him.

Besides Johny's car, windows of two military trucks and one patrol police car were also damaged by angry residents.

However, the clash eased off after elderly residents asked the youths to stop.

Elderly residents believed that those who provoked the attacks were not from their neighborhood and therefore they were staying on the alert to prevent further clashes. (emf)