Student drowns on birthday

BOGOR (JP): A student from the Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB) died on his 21st birthday on Monday when four of his high- spirited friends threw him into a lake located in the Institute's Darmaga Complex.

IPB spokesman Amirudin Saleh identified the dead student as Guntur Simanjuntak.

"He cannot swim, and when his friends pushed him into the lake, he managed to hold onto the side of the lake. Later Guntur tried to swim to get his sandals, which were thrown into the pool by one of the four, and drowned," Amirudin said.

His friends panicked and tried to retrieve him, but it was too late, Amirudin said.

The artificial lake is used for the institute's research and is also famous as a student hangout. (21/edt)