Policeman shoots driver following quarrel
Policeman shoots driver following quarrel
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A police officer shot a minivan driver early on Monday morning
following a quarrel at Pondok Artha traffic lights in Kalimalang,
Bekasi, causing severe injuries to the victim's right wrist and
forehead.
Ali Wardani Tambunan, 31, a driver of public minivan M-19
plying the Cililitan-to-Pondok Kranji route was shot after he
argued with plainclothes mobile brigade (Brimob) police officer
Chief Brig. Winarto.
Eyewitnesses said Ali quarreled with Winarto after the latter
punched Ali for blocking the road. Ali was among a number of
drivers who had parked their minivans to wait for passengers.
As Ali attempted to take revenge by attacking Winarto with an
iron bar, Winarto shot him with his gun.
Ali was later taken to the nearby Bekasi hospital with wounds
to his right wrist and forehead, but due to the serious injuries
he was transferred to Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital in Central
Jakarta for further treatment.
Dr. Yudi Yuwono, who led the medical team, said Ali was likely
to suffer from brain damage, Detik reported.
Meanwhile, Ali's accomplice, Roypen Simanjuntak, said Ali also
suffered serious gunshot wounds to his left eye.
"According to several eyewitnesses, Ali was shot at from close
range. The bullet penetrated his right wrist and hit his forehead
after he tried to block the shot," Roypen said.
Separately, around 200 drivers of M-19, M-26 minivans and
minibus 54 staged a rally at Jakarta Police Headquarters to
protest the incident and called on the police to punish Winarto.
Tamrin, a driver, said police officers often acted arbitrarily
against them.
"Last month, I was beaten by a police officer because I
collected passengers at an intersection," Tamrin claimed.
City Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Anton Bachrul Alam said
Winarto was still being grilled over the incident.
"Winarto should not have acted like that. A gun can be used in
self-defense but he should have fired warning shots first," Anton
said.
He also claimed the police had apologized to Ali's family for
the incident and that all the costs of medical treatment would be
shouldered by Winarto.