Vengeful cop shoots student after quarrel
Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh, Aceh
A chemical engineering student died six hours after an angry police officer shot him in the head following a quarrel and short motorcycle chase involving the two here on Thursday.
Emergency surgery conducted by doctors at Zainal Abidin Hospital failed to save the life of Muhammad Iqbal, 23, a student at Syah Kuala University's school of chemical engineering. Iqbal never regained consciousness after he was shot at noon.
Provincial police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Dede Ahmad said the officer shot Iqbal near the Kampung Ateuk intersection after a pursuit on motorbikes which began in front of the Baitturrahman Grand Mosque, where Iqbal allegedly struck the officer.
Witnesses said the vengeful officer shot Iqbal from close range while riding his Honda GL-Pro which did not have a registration number. The bullet pierced his temple.
While the officer fled, people near the scene of the incident rushed Iqbal to the Military Hospital.
Ahmad refused to identify the officer, who is now apparently in the custody of the provincial military police.
"He breached the procedures and will face stern measures," Ahmad said.
He added that the police chief, Insp. Gen. Jusuf Manggabarani, had apologized to the family of Iqbal and would cover all expenses resulting from the incident.
The body of Iqbal was taken to his family's home in Deah Boro village in the eastern suburb of Banda Aceh. His burial is expected to take place on Friday.
None of his family members or relatives would comment on the fatal shooting. Many Acehnese have become accustomed to brutal treatment from security forces and prefer not to comment for fear of further brutality.
Meanwhile, a local military officer said on Thursday that security troops had killed 12 separatist rebels grouped under the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). Eight of them shot dead in a 30-minute armed clash in Alam Jeumpa, West Aceh district on Wednesday.
The provincial military spokesman Maj. Zaenal Muttaqin also said three guerrillas were killed and three more arrested in a military ambush at Mereu in Aceh Besar district on Wednesday.
However, a GAM spokesman stated that the 11 were innocent civilians.
Muttaqin said another suspected rebel was shot and killed at Kampung Blang in North Aceh on Wednesday. He claimed a handgun and two home-made bombs were seized.
Security personnel have stepped up attacks against all suspected separatist-minded Acehnese following a recent series of kidnappings, arson attacks and murders which have been blamed on GAM.
At least 50 people have been taken hostage, allegedly by the rebels, over the past four months. More than 30 of have since been released.