Pati villagers go on the rampage

Pati villagers go on the rampage

PATI, Central Java: Villagers went on the rampage yesterday
afternoon over a dispute about the election of the chief of the
Sundoluhur village in Kayen subdistrict.

Pati Regent Yusuf Muhammad confirmed that several buildings
were damaged in the melee, but did not give details about the
extent of the damage to the village.

The villagers were unhappy because a popular man, Tolobi, 27,
did not make it through the election process into the final pool
of candidates for village chief.

Witnesses said a building caught fire in the incident and one
villager was slightly injured.

Large numbers of police and soldiers were deployed to the area
and were still on guard late last night.

Regent Yusuf Muhammad said the village election would continue
into the next round. (har)