Nine bodies found in Purbalingga rivers

Nine bodies found in Purbalingga rivers

PURBALINGGA, Central Java: Local police said on Tuesday that
at least nine murder victims had been found in Muli River and
Serayu River over the last three months, causing a 400 percent
rise in the local murder rate as compared to the same period last
year.

"These findings have really shocked us. Criminal acts are on
the rise here. We should work hand in hand to prevent such crimes
from happening again," chief of Purbalingga Police Adj. Sr. Comr.
Agus Sofyan said.

He said that only two victims of murder had been reported in
the town last year, but added that he was not sure whether all of
the bodies recently found in the rivers were local residents.

The latest corpse found floating down Muli River was a man
with a rope tied around his neck and tattoos on his body, Agus
said.

He added that autopsies revealed most of the corpses were
murder victims and that they have subsequently been buried as
they had not been claimed by relatives.--JP