Police continue suicide probe

Police continue suicide probe

JAKARTA (JP): Police decided yesterday that the businessman found dead in a Central Jakarta hospital compound on Monday morning committed suicide.

"However, we're still waiting for the results from the forensic examiners," city police spokesman Lt. Col. Iman Haryatna told The Jakarta Post yesterday.

According to Central Jakarta police chief Lt. Col. Murawi Effendi, the preliminary conclusion is based on the material evidence available, circumstances at the scene, witnesses and interviews with the victim's relatives.

"There were no signs of any struggle," Murawi told the Post.

Moreover, all nurses, doctors and visitors close to the scene at the time have said they heard no screams, he said.

The corpse of Hardi Tjandra (not Tjandra Tjandra as reported yesterday), 58, was found under a tree beside the surgery room of the Husada hospital in Central Jakarta by visitors and on-duty nurses at 6:30 a.m. on Monday.

The body had three stab wounds to the neck and stomach. Two knives were still stuck in him, and another was found close by.

Police discovered a signed note in Hardi's pocket, saying he wanted to kill himself after failing to handle the labor dispute at his factory, PT BTMHH, in Bekasi, 35 kilometers east of the capital.

As of yesterday, police had not confirmed the motive, but a reliable police source told the Post the reason might have been connected with problems Hardi faced at his factory and with his family.

"We need more information from his relatives about Hardi's life and business activities," Murawi said.

"In the meantime, we don't want to disturb the family who is mourning his death," he said.

According to a reliable source, who refused to be named, one of the three knives was identified as being owned by Hardi's family.

Murawi said Hardi, who lived near the hospital, is believed to have entered the hospital's compound on Jl. Mangga Besar Raya in the early hours of Monday, pretending that he was going to visit a relative who was often treated at the hospital.

"The victim was recognized as a regular visitor by many nurses, doctors and security guards at the hospital," Murawi said.

Hardi's corpse was collected by his relatives on Monday evening. They refused to allow doctors at the Cipto Mangunkusumo general hospital to perform an autopsy.

"The doctors told me they carried out a postmortem examination, which is enough for our investigation," Murawi said. (bsr)