Two die and three injured in scuffle on bus at Senen
Two die and three injured in scuffle on bus at Senen
JAKARTA (JP): Two people died and three others were injured
when passengers tried to disembark from a moving city bus in
Senen, Central Jakarta, on Sunday morning, a witness said.
Surasen, one of the injured, identified the two dead victims
as Maryani Fajarwati, an employee at the industrial bonded zone
in Cakung, East Jakarta, and Puspa, a student at SMP 28 junior
high school on Jl. Mardani Raya, Johar Baru subdistrict, Central
Jakarta, while the injured were herself and her two sons Fachrul
and Dwiki.
"The incident took place at 6 a.m. when I, my two sons and my
friend Maryani were on a PPD 52 bus plying the Pulo Gadung-Pasar
Baru route," she said at her home on Jl. Baladewa, Tanah Tinggi,
Central Jakarta.
She said she, her two sons and Maryani were traveling to the
National Monument (Monas) Park, also in Central Jakarta, for a
morning walk.
"When the bus passed Atrium Senen shopping center, we and
other passengers sitting in the middle of the bus saw a group of
men acting suspiciously in the back seat.
"For no reason, some passengers made their way to the front
door," she said.
Surasen said tension escalated when an elderly woman in the
back seat screamed for help.
"The woman's scream panicked other passengers, who then rushed
toward the front door," she said.
She said she approached the driver and told him one of the men
had threatened the elderly woman.
"I told him to stop as we wanted to get off the bus there."
The driver, she said, refused to stop and instead increased
speed.
Anxious
The other passengers became anxious and tried to force their
way out of the speeding bus.
"Maryani was standing just in front of the door and was pushed
by the passengers behind her.
"She fell onto the street and was knocked unconscious,"
Surasen said in tears.
Puspa was pushed by other passengers and fell down, with her
head hitting the street.
Surasen said she held onto her younger son Dwiki but failed to
grab Fachrul, who was also pushed off the bus by other passengers
jumping off the vehicle.
"Fearing that Fachrul might be hit by other vehicles, I jumped
as well to catch him."
Senen Police substation chief Maj. Pratikno said Puspa died on
the spot and her body was sent to Cipto Mangunkusumo General
Hospital's morgue, while Maryani, Surasen and her two sons were
rushed to Gatot Subroto Army Hospital, some 300 meters from the
site of the accident. Maryani died a few hours later.
He said the police were investigating the incident.
"We are still in the dark about the robbery attempt because we
have no further information about the victims and the number of
suspects, or their physical characteristics," Pratikno said.
He said the bus driver fled the scene, while Surasen could not
remember the bus' registration number.
"Surasen will be summoned later because she presently is no
condition for further questioning," Pratikno said. (06)