Senior Medan official stabbed

MEDAN, North Sumatra: A senior government official in North Sumatra was stabbed by an unknown assailant on Monday night. The official was in a coma as of Tuesday.

Witnesses said that the incident began when Yuspin Ketaren, the chief of the North Sumatra Land Office, was on his way home from his office. As he was about to enter the grounds of his home on Jl. Turi in Medan, a pillion passenger dismounted from a motorcycle and stabbed him in the chest and stomach. The mystery assailant, and the motorcycle rider, then made good their escape. The victim was rushed to hospital after the incident.

The Medan Municipal Police's chief of detectives First Insp. Arnesto Seser said that investigators were seeking a motive for the stabbing. -- JP