Police shoot dead two more alleged street robbers

JAKARTA (JP): Two more alleged street criminals were shot dead by police on Thursday, increasing the tally of those killed by law enforcers to five in just four days.

The two men were identified as Maruli Tamba and Rojani Erik Sontri, both 21 years old. According to city police spokesman, Lt. Col. Zainuri Lubis, Maruli was shot in the head, foot and back while his accomplice, Rojani, was shot in the head, foot and chest.

City police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman said on Friday that the shootings were necessary because both men were armed and dangerous.

"Yes, we shot dead the two but the shootings met with standard procedures and were carried out for the public's safety," he told reporters.

He explained that the alleged criminals were spotted by police officers at the terminal after their female victim screamed for help.

"The suspects, pretending to be passengers, earlier robbed student, Fitri Fauzia, on a public minivan plying the Kampung Melayu-Pulogadung route," Lubis said.

The officer quoted the girl as saying that the men boarded the minivan when the vehicle entered the crowded bus terminal.

It was unclear how many people were inside the minivan when the incident took place.

"The suspects then raised their sharp weapons at Fitri, who told the two that she was only a student and had no money. In fear of her life, the student then gave them her gold ring," Lubis said.

According to the officer, the suspects then got out of the minivan, from which Fitri, by chance, saw a policeman, prompting her to scream for help.

The girl's yell attracted the attention of police officers patrolling the terminal, who rushed to the scene and attempted to apprehend the suspects, Lubis said.

When police fired warning shots in the air, the two -- instead of giving themselves up -- threatened the police while brandishing weapons: a sickle and a pocket knife.

A similar incident took place at the Cawang interchange in East Jakarta, late Tuesday, when police shot dead three alleged armed street criminals caught red-handed extorting money from a motorist.

Noegroho acknowledged that shooting street criminals on site would not automatically curb the escalating crime wave which has become a serious headache for many Jakartans.

"I therefore have asked related institutions to further discuss the measures we should be taking to solve these problems because I do believe that crimes always have a significant relationship with another social aspects," he said without elaborating.

He insisted that Thursday's shooting had nothing to do with a recent raid held by police to round up hoodlums.

"The shooting just happened, the lives of police officers assigned to safeguard the bus terminal were placed in a risky situation by the crooks," Noegroho said.

From the morgue of Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, where the bodies of Maruli and Rojani are undergoing postmortem examinations, a female relative of Maruli deplored the police's stern measures.

"I disagree with the shoot-on-sight order. What will be the fate of his wife and child now that they have to survive without a husband and father?" said the relative, who asked for anonymity.

According to the woman, Maruli was married last August. His wife is expecting their first child.

She admitted that the suspected robber, who arrived in Jakarta three years ago, used to get drunk and was once sentenced to one year in prison.

But, she added, Maruli had promised -- at a family reunion held earlier this year -- to reform and begin a new life.

She said she had no idea why he broke that promise. (emf/ivy)