Man takes ax to family of four in meal mix-up

JAKARTA (JP): A cleaner, apparently incensed at shoddy service in receiving allocated meals, allegedly attacked four members of a family with a blunt ax at the Universitas Terbuka campus in Pondok Cabe, South Jakarta.

Newly installed South Jakarta Police Chief Lt. Col. Satrya Hari Prasetya said the suspect, identified only as Ari, 24, assaulted the family of Tugimin, 40, who runs a food stall at the university compound, at about 6 p.m.

"Ari hit Tugimin with the ax three times in the back of his head and also attacked the victim's wife, Warsih, and their two daughters, Putri and Dewi," Satrya told The Jakarta Post.

Tugimin and Putri, 8, sustained serious head injuries. All four were rushed to Fatmawati Hospital in South Jakarta.

"We arrested Ari, a cleaning service attendant at the university, who lives near the stall, about two hours after the attack. At his house, about 100 meters from the crime scene, we found the ax believed to have been used in the assault.

"We also found his bloodstained shirt soaking in a pail of water.

Police were able to trace the suspect quickly due to information from nearby residents and fresh blood prints at the crime scene.

Ari told the police he had not meant to hurt the family and he wavered when he committed the attack.

"Ari said he attacked Tugimin because he was offended by Tugimin's treatment. He said he always got the last chance to receive service whenever he exchanged coupons from the university for his meals," Satrya said.

"Besides getting the last chance, he told police that he sometimes was given leftovers."

Ari is currently detained at Pamulang police subprecinct for further investigation. (edt)