Six killed, nine injured as train smashes into crowd

Six killed, nine injured as train smashes into crowd

Abdul Khalik
The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

At least six people were killed and nine others seriously injured
when a passenger train smashed into a crowd gathered along the
tracks between Jatinegara station in East Jakarta and Manggarai
station in South Jakarta early on Tuesday morning.

The Greater Jakarta operations spokesman for state-owned
railroad company PT KA, Sujadi, said the victims were customers
at small shops selling alcoholic drinks near the tracks in
Kampung Gunung Antang, East Jakarta.

He said an Argo Muria executive train traveling from Semarang,
Central Java, to Gambir station in Central Jakarta, rammed into
the crowd at 2:48 a.m.

Sujadi said the victims apparently did not hear the
approaching train because of load music being played at the
stalls.

"Some of the victims apparently were drunk and did not realize
they were sitting on the tracks. As the train approached they
just sat there, apparently unable to move or unaware of the
danger," said Sujadi.

The nine injured victims were taken to Cipto Mangunkusumo
General Hospital in Central Jakarta.

It is common for small stalls to open up at night along the
railway tracks in Jakarta. The stalls serve alcohol and are
frequented by prostitutes.

The railroad tracks that run through Tanah Abang, Central
Jakarta, and Pasar Rumput, South Jakarta, are known for this
particular form of nightlife. The city administration has
conducted numerous raids to shut down the illegal stalls, but as
soon as the authorities leave the stalls reopen.

Of the six people who died in Tuesday's accident, only three
have been identified. They are Sarti, 30, Rohata, 40, and Amsyah,
40.

Local community leader Murdan said the three lived in the area
and worked as prostitutes at the stalls.

"They were prostitutes and worked at the stalls every night,"
he was quoted as saying by Detikcom.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Tjiptono said police had
questioned three people about the accident and planned to pick up
the train engineer and his assistant for questioning.

"Our officers have examined the accident site. They also
questioned a station master, a train monitor and the head of the
train route as witnesses. We will wait for information from the
train engineer before deciding whether to name any suspects,"
Tjiptono told The Jakarta Post.

He said officers had learned that the train had been rerouted
to another track because the other two tracks that run through
the area were being repaired.