One killed, 13 injured in Belawan

MEDAN (JP): At least one man was killed in the mob attack on warehouses in the North Sumatra port of Gabion Belawan on Tuesday, provincial police chief Brig. Gen. Sutiyono said on Wednesday.

Sutiyono said that an employee of one of the warehouses, Ang Kok Ciong, 41, was killed when he tried to prevent the mob from burning the warehouses.

He added that 13 people were injured when security personnel deployed to the area were forced to open fire on the people.

At least 136 people were detained.

Sutiyono said local fishermen were provoked after hearing that one of their colleagues was beaten up by guards from the warehouse complex. The guards confronted the man after he allegedly stole fish the previous day.

Apart from the two warehouses that were gutted, Sutiyono said at least eight warehouses and 21 trawlers were burned.

Dozens of armed military and Mobile Brigade personnel guarded the port on Wednesday as dozens of people sifted through the debris. (39)