Serviceman beaten by traders

PURWOKERTO, Central Java: An Army officer, identified as Second Pvt. Anas Saeri, was beaten by angry traders here on Friday for extortion.

Traders at the Pasar Wage traditional market said they had frequently been forced to pay levies to the serviceman, who is being detained at the local military police office,

"I was afraid; I offered him Rp 30,000 but he refused. I offered an additional Rp 5,000 but still he did not want to take it," a trader, Subagyo, told military police officers.

A heated argument between Saeri and his fellow traders was unavoidable, according to Subagyo, until the upset traders shouted "thief" at Saeri. Passersby and the traders chased the military man and beat him.

Deputy chief of Purwokerto military police Maj. Kirdi confirmed the arrest of Saeni. "We were unaware that he was an Army member until we questioned him over the incident." (45/sur)