Police seek help of 'spiritual guru'

Police seek help of 'spiritual guru'

PROBOLINGGO, East Java: Police have asked a local man, known to be a "spiritual guru", to help solve the recent murder of a "sorcerer", because the two suspects in their custody have started to blame each other, Antara reported.

Police chief Lt. Col. Suyatno HP said here yesterday that both suspects, identified only as Dju and Ar, turned themselves in on Jan. 29 and Feb. 3, respectively, escorted by the chief of Palangbesi village.

They are suspected of shooting Marno, 35, with an arrow from behind while the sorcerer was leading a Tarawih night prayer. Marno was known locally as a dukun santet, a black sorcerer usually out to do harm to people.

During police interrogations, however, the suspect insisted he did not know about the murder and blamed the other for it.

"We have to involve the spiritual guru, AS, in this case because he knows both men well," Suyatno said. (swe)