One inmate killed, three injured in prison brawl
One inmate killed, three injured in prison brawl
Emmy Fitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Justice and Human Rights Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra paid
an impromptu visit to Cipinang penitentiary, East Jakarta, at
about 9 p.m. on Tuesday night, several hours after it was the
scene of a fresh brawl between two rival groups.
Yusril, however, refused to speak to the press.
One inmate was killed and three others were injured in the
brawl. The fatality was identified as 40-year-old Timbul
Tampubolon who died of severe wounds caused by a sharp weapon.
Three other inmates, who were injured, were rushed to Kramatjati
Police Hospital.
East Jakarta Police detective chief Comr. Putu Jayen confirmed
the incident and said that police still could not figure out the
reasons behind the brawl but suspected that the fighting was
caused by ethnic divisions.
"This is fighting between groups inside the prison such as
Arek (inmates coming from East Java), Ambon (from Maluku), Korea
(from North Sumatra) and Manado (from North Sulawesi).
"We are still looking into what triggered the riot. At the
moment we are concentrating on calming the prisoners and taking
control," Putu told The Jakarta Post.
Around 300 police personnel were deployed to secure the
situation inside and outside the penitentiary, Putu said.
"We are backed up by personnel from Jakarta Police and nearby
police subprecincts," he added.
Nearby residents heard a series of warning shots fired by
police to disperse the brawling inmates.
Scuffles between inmates have sparked riots and caused
fatalities on frequent occasions at Cipinang Penitentiary --
Jakarta's largest prison -- despite regular weapon searches by
police and prison wardens.
The latest incident happened last month, leaving six inmates
injured. The brawl was reported to have involved two rival groups
from North Sumatra and East Java.
In August, three inmates were injured in a brawl between the
two rival groups, two days after police conducted an intensive
cell-to-cell search for weapons and dangerous objects inside the
state penitentiary.
The brawls, which involve sharp weapons, have proved that
weapon searches by police and wardens have not actually been
effective as inmates still have access to weapons. (emf)