Papua police hunt armed group

JAYAPURA, Papua: Papua police Chief Insp. Gen. I Made Mangku Pastika said Thursday that he had deployed a team of police to arrest Otis Koridama, the leader of an armed group which was accused of attacks on residents of Wasior in Manokwari district, Papua.

An armed group allegedly torched some houses in Ambuni on Monday, forcing residents to flee to the forest.

Otis is also alleged to have beaten up the Ambuni village head who was trying to persuade him to hand over three rifles taken from three policemen killed in an ambush.

Made said the police had summoned him three times but to no avail. A clash between what was believed to be Otis and the police occurred on Tuesday when gunmen fired at a speedboat carrying Manokwari district police chief Adj. Sr. Com. Yohanes Prapto Wirahadi. --Antara