Official claims to be arson victim

Official claims to be arson victim

MEDAN, North Sumatra: Achyar Simin, an official at Langkat
regency administration, has claimed the fire that burned his
house and killed his wife and daughter had been deliberately set
by "unscrupulous people".

Achyar voiced his conviction that he was a victim of arson
when North Sumatra Governor Raja Inal Siregar visited him at the
hospital last Friday. Antara quoted an unnamed family source
saying that Achyar saw someone entering his house on Oct. 6 at
2:30 a.m.

Achyar reportedly tried to pursue the person, but accidentally
touched an exposed electrical wire, causing serious injuries to
his arms.

He was reportedly found lying helpless in the sitting room
while his wife, Kartini Siregar, and 16-year-old daughter Fitri
Julianti, perished in another room of the burning house.

The electricity company said the fire was not caused by a
short circuit.

Police have questioned 20 witnesses, including local guards
who claimed that Achyar told them two months ago not to watch his
house any longer because he had found other guards to replace
them. (swe)