Two officers fall victim to hit-and-run accident
Two officers fall victim to hit-and-run accident
JAKARTA (JP): Two police sergeants were severely injured in a
hit-and-run traffic accident on Wednesday when they were
safeguarding a student street rally on Cawang interchange in East
Jakarta, an officer said on Thursday.
Maj. I. Nyoman Suryasta of the city police information unit
identified the victims as 32-year-old Chief Sgt. Hermawan and 35-
year-old First Sgt. Sri Harsono, both from the traffic police
unit.
"The two were riding on a motorbike and were about to leave
the demonstration site after protesting students from the
Indonesian Christian University (UKI) returned to the nearby
campus," Suryasta said.
As the two sergeants were passing along Jl. Let. Jen. Soetoyo,
near the campus on their way to the city police headquarters, a
gray Espass van suddenly hit them from behind, Suryasta said.
He said none of the onlookers and motorists on the busy street
helped the two unlucky policemen immediately after they fell
from their motorbike. He alleged that the van driver kept driving
wildly to hit the motorbike.
"The incident took place at around 1 p.m. and there were a lot
of people at the site, but how come no one wanted to help them
right away?" he asked.
Suryasta said the two sergeants got assistance only after the
van went away at high speed.
"They are now being treated at the intensive care unit of the
Soekanto police hospital in Kramat Jati in East Jakarta," he
said.
Besides suffering head injuries, Hermawan's left foot was
reportedly broken, while Sri Harsono suffered from severe wounds
to his chest and feet.
Police are still searching for the driver of the car and have
invited any of the public who witnessed the incident to report to
city police, he said.
The Wednesday's incident raised the number of soldiers and
police officers severely wounded while on duty safeguarding the
Special Session of the People's Consultative Assembly to 22, all
of whom are now in various hospitals while 20 others have
suffered light injuries.
Out of the injured police officers, eight were identified as
Second Lt. Sonny Sanjaya who was injured in the temple; Second
Lt. Kamarulzaman on his arm; Pvt. Didik Hermanto on his chin (all
from the Police Bomb Squad); First Sgt. Erizal, Pvt. Hartanto and
Chief Sgt. Sarimin from the Police Mobile Brigade.
As was reported earlier, a member of the Jakarta Police Mobile
Brigade died during a clash between demonstrating students and
security officers in Slipi in West Jakarta on Nov. 12. The dead
officer was identified as Pvt. Prayitno. (emf)