Students beat up senior college figures

Antara News Agency/Surabaya

Two members of the Adhi Tama Institute of Technology (ITATS)'s rector's council under the leadership of IK Shandi (former foundation chairman), Kristiawan MM (head of the council) and I Putu Sutisna (council member and son of IK Shandi), were beaten up by hundreds of students on Wednesday.

The students also attacked former security chief Made (a serving member of the Marines), and a lecturer, Indiono, at about 10 a.m. I Putu Sutisna and Made were earlier taken to a security post before being put in a truck and whisked to the East Surabaya police station.

Sutisna was assaulted by students who were waiting outside the institute before he was brought to the truck at around 11:30 a.m. Made and two of his men, Abas and Simpe Sigara, as well as a watchman, Mat Muhi, eventually emerged from the room at 12 noon, but were not harmed by the students as the situation had already returned to normal.

The council members were assaulted by the students in various ways, including with clubs and trash cans. They were also punched, kicked and stamped on.

The protest was sparked by the presence of Kristiawan and Sutisna, who had sent 40 uniformed and 60 plainclothes security guards, including dozens of alleged thugs, to enter the university grounds at about 5 a.m.

"They came at dawn and posted notices saying that ITATS had been robbed and taken over by irresponsible persons, and that the students were being given a two-day holiday on July 13 and July 14," said the head of ITATS' employees and lecturers association (PKD), Ikhsan.

Ikhsan, who led the protest, alleged that the IK Shandi-led presidium had hired thugs to steal documents and computer data from the deputy rector's office in order to remove evidence of alleged corruption committed by IK Shandi.

Separately, East Surabaya Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Djuansih said that he had deployed dozens of officers to keep the peace at the university, but acknowledged that they had failed to act decisively as they were not sure whether they had jurisdiction to enter the autonomous institute.

"However, we have detained about 100 people who tried to enter and occupy the institute. They have been charged and will be prosecuted," he said.

Meanwhile, Puspo Sussongko, the secretary to the Rector's Council led by Abdul Zikri (the current foundation chairman), said that the documents and files allegedly stolen by IK Shandi's supporters had been copied and had been handed over to a team of auditors and investigators from the East Java Police.

When asked about the anarchic behavior of the students, he said, "Everything was out of control. The students were upset and angry about the use of the thugs," said Zikri.

Zikri added that his side had sought police assistance to evict Kristiawan and Putu Sutisna from the institute before it was too late. "But they wouldn't go and finally the students were provoked," he said.