Two bus drivers wanted for arson attack, murder

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Two bus drivers are wanted by the police in connection with an arson attack on a bus on Jl. Condet Raya, Pasar Rebo, East Jakarta, and the murder of its driver, a police officer said on Tuesday.

"Both suspects are still at large, but we will immediately arrest them as we've got their names," Pasar Rebo Police subprecinct chief Adj. Comr. Rusidi D.T. told The Jakarta Post.

Rusidi alleged that the suspects were drivers who served the Kampung Rambutan-Kampung Melayu route, the same route plied by the T-53 bus that was set on fire.

He said dozens of people had taken part in the attack, but police had only identified two prime suspects who were believed to have incited the incident, in which Stefen Wagiyu, 29, a bus driver, was killed, and his crew member, Ismail, 47, was injured. Five passengers were also hurt in the attack.

In the incident, which took place on Monday afternoon, an angry mob consisting of dozens of people armed with iron bars and machetes stopped Stefen's bus and attacked him, his crew and all the passengers travelling in the vehicle. The angry mob then set the minibus on fire.

Stefen died at the scene with stab wounds to his body and head, while his crew member and five passengers were injured.

The incident caused heavy traffic jams for several hours in the area and also left many passengers stranded, as a number of minibuses passed through Jl. Balekambang to avoid the traffic congestion.

Rusidi said the incident was triggered by the dissatisfaction of bus drivers with one of the T-53 bus owners, named H. Kastan, who had added a new vehicle to his existing fleet of five.

"He had been warned two times not to add another new bus, but he insisted on doing so. That infuriated many bus drivers," Rusidi explained.

Rusidi said the situation on Jl. Condet Raya had returned to normal on Tuesday.

"All buses serving the route resumed their operations today," he said.