Two police killed in grenade blast

Two police killed in grenade blast

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Two members of the police's elite Mobile Brigade were killed
after a grenade exploded at their rented room in Cimanggis, Depok
on Monday, police say.

The officers were identified as Second Brig. Nimrot Batubara
and Adj. Second Brig. Amri Turnip.

Their bodies were admitted to Sukanto Police Hospital in
Kramat Jati, East Jakarta, for an autopsy.

The explosion at about 5:45 a.m. shook the neighborhood.

Contradicting an earlier statement, the men's squad commander
Insp. Gen. SY Wenas said the pair had returned from Aceh last
month.

Depok Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Raja Erizman was quoted as
saying by Detikcom that the two men had "just returned" from the
tsunami-devastated province.

Wenas said he believed the grenade had been found by one of
the officers and had exploded by accident.

Investigators had questioned the third roommate, who had
avoided the explosion because he was out jogging at the time, he
said.

The witness, identified only as Lembong, said Batubara found
the Korean-made grenade on Sunday but did not reveal where.

He had not handed the grenade in immediately to headquarters
as was required because it was already late in the evening and
had planned to do so first thing on Monday, Lembong said.

City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Tjiptono speculated it was
possible the pair were suffering from stress after a long tour of
duty.

"We can't decide yet whether it was a suicide (or something
else) as our officers are still investigating the case. One of
the officers apparently pulled the safety pen off (the grenade)
and dropped it," Tjiptono said.

If the grenade was a police weapon in Aceh it should have been
returned to the armory when they got home, he said.

However, Wenas dismissed the idea. "All our members are
required to undergo health checks upon their return ... those who
are found with psychological illnesses are treated and not
allowed to carry arms.

"The two were healthy ... they were not playing with the
grenade, it probably dropped from their grasp and exploded by
itself."