Shaman's drink fells family

JAKARTA (JP): Eleven family members were rushed to the Jakarta Islamic General Hospital in Central Jakarta early Friday after consuming a beverage from a man claiming to be a shaman.

The family, including two child models from a popular noodle advertisement, complained of severe headaches.

They remained hospitalized on Friday evening.

The shaman, identified as Sugiarto bin Sanjaya of Subang, West Java, was arrested shortly after the incident by the police.

According to Ina Ervina, the shaman visited her family's house in Harapan Mulya in Central Jakarta on Thursday night to meet her sister Rita Anshari.

The two knew each other for about six months, Ina said, adding "Rita knows him as a shaman".

Sugiarto later offered a special drink which he said would bring the family financial gains.

He mixed the ingredients with coconut milk and a bottle of special powder, Ina said.

The shaman put the liquid into six glasses and offered it to the family of 13, she said.

"Eleven of us accepted Sugiarto's offer and had the drinks," Ina said.

"I suffered a bad headache after drinking it."

Two of her brothers refused the drink because they did not believe in mysticism.

Ina's 11-year-old twin daughters, Lola and Loli, appear in a television advertisement for Mi-Duo noodles.(asa)