Man tries to kill wife, children

TANGERANG (JP): A man tried to kill his wife and infant children in the village of Warnakerta, Pasar Kemis district on Tuesday for unclear reasons.

Hasanudin, known as a respected teacher of Koranic verse recital, stabbed his wife Emuy, and his two children Asep (4) and Neneng (2) who were asleep at the time.

Emuy tried to resist and protect her two children from the attack. The commotion drew the attention of neighbors, who then rushed to help save the woman and the children.

Hasanudin was then overpowered by the neighbors, who turned him in to the local police.

Pasar Kemis Police chief Insp. Budi Wardoyo assumed that the man was suffering from a mental disorder. "He became furious several times during questioning. He smashed the typewriter and threatened to break the windows of the police station."

Meanwhile, Arfan, a relative of Hasanudin, said that the man became mentally unbalanced some time ago after he began to dabble in "magical teachings".

Arfan said Hasanudin tried to burn his wife and the two children last month, but they managed to escape. (41/sur)