Student killed by classmates

JAKARTA: A 21-year-old student at the Jakarta Arts Institute (IKJ) was beaten to death by classmates on Monday evening after he was accused of stealing his friend's cell phone.

Asep Suryaman, a graphic design student, left his cellular phone in a classroom when he was recharging his battery, police said; upon returning, he found that the phone had been stolen.

When he ran outside looking for a culprit, he reportedly saw Ardiles B. rushing to get on a bus.

Asep stopped the vehicle and dragged Ardiles back to the campus grounds, where he was beaten severely by a group of irate students.

Security guards intervened and took Ardiles to the Cikini Hospital in Menteng, Central Jakarta, but he died of his injuries.

"We are still interrogating two of the students who participated in the beating," said Comr. Ekky Festyanto, chief of the Menteng police subprecinct.

Police have yet to name other suspects, owing to a lack of evidence. -- JP