STPDN freshman tortured to death

STPDN freshman tortured to death

BANDUNG (JP): A freshman of the Institute of State
Administration (STPDN) died on Friday after being tortured, but
the police released the suspects after 1,000 students from the
school thronged the police station to demand their release on
Saturday.

Sumedang Police chief Lt. Col. Richardo Hutauruk told The
Jakarta Post that seven suspects were freed after an official
request from the institute was sent following the student
protest.

"The suspects were released after assurances from the
institute that they would be ready for questioning at any time,"
Richardo said.

District heads are often STPDN graduates.

During the protest, the students said it was the institute's
doctor who was responsible for the death of Eri Rachman, a 21-
year-old freshman. They said the doctor had failed to treat the
victim properly.

The suspects have reportedly admitted to hitting and kicking
the victim, said Richardo. "We also have a postmortem examination
report, so what we just need are more witnesses."

One witness, who was a friend of Eri, said the incident began
after Eri arrived late at the institute in Jatinangor from his
home in Kiaracondong, Bandung, due to traffic congestion on Feb.
4.

Jatinangor, some 10 kilometers east of Bandung, is under the
jurisdiction of the Sumedang Police.

The witness, who asked for anonymity, said one of the senior
students then told Eri to report to him in the dormitory.

Afraid, Eri did not show up until evening, at which the
seniors reportedly began picking on him and "gave him a lesson".

Dr. Arifah Nur Istiqomah, head of the STPDN campus clinic,
confirmed that Eri was taken to the clinic on Feb. 4 by his
colleagues before being taken to Sumedang Hospital.

A clinic staffer, identified as Gunawan, took Eri to the
hospital.

"Gunawan said he saw bruises on Eri's chest and buttocks,"
Arifah said, adding that Eri's friends said Eri had been
"tortured" by seniors for arriving 15-minutes late at the
institute.

After two days without improvement, Eri was taken to Bandung's
Al-Islam Hospital, where he was operated on twice before he died
on Friday. (25/sur)