Menteng Atas man killed in brawl

JAKARTA (JP): A man was killed in a brawl between residents of Pasar Manggis and Menteng Atas subdistricts in Setiabudi, South Jakarta, here on Sunday.

Some 200 people, armed with sickles and air rifles, pelted rocks at each other during the clash, which occurred at about 00:15 a.m. Sunday on Jl. Mujahidin, located between the two neighborhoods.

The victim, Lukman Hakim, a-29-year-old resident of Menteng Atas was shot in his chest from what is believed to be a rifle.

According to the chief of South Jakarta Police, Supt. Bambang Widaryatmo, the clash was triggered when a resident from Menteng Atas refused to give money to a group of residents from Pasar Manggis.

He added that the two neighborhoods have been bickering for some time with similar brawls often occurring.

Meanwhile, a police officer of Setia Budi Police subprecinct, First Insp. Hendrik was also injured, when he tried to separate the groups.

Dozens of police officers were deployed to disperse the crowd, and peace was restored at about 5 a.m. Police were still guarding the area Sunday afternoon. (07)