Villages tense after clash kills one

Villages tense after clash kills one

Apriadi Gunawan
The Jakarta Post
Medan, North Sumatra

Tension engulfed on Tuesday two villages in Kuala subdistrict,
Langkat regency, North Sumatra, after clashes involving rival
gangs there were responsible for the death of at least one person
and another who was seriously injured.

Most residents in the villages of Namu Belin and Beruam chose
to stay home all day for fear of being attacked by feuding gangs.

Police deployed personnel to ensure security in the two
villages and prevent the violence from spreading.

"I have instructed all subdistrict police chiefs in Langkat to
immediately confiscate all sharp weapons," Langkat Police chief
Adj. Sr. Comr. Arman Depari told The Jakarta Post.

He said the police would "raid" each village in search of
weaponry.

Earlier on Monday evening, Budiman Ginting alias Bogel, a 25-
year-old man from Beruam, was killed in one of the clashes with
the Namu Mbelin fighters.

Tinus Sitepu, 22, from Namu Mbelin was seriously wounded in
the brawl, which erupted on Kuala-Bahorok street at around 7 p.m.
He is being treated at Pirngadi hospital in Medan, for stab
wounds in the leg and chest.

The death of Budiman incited anger among his friends from
Beruam, who then vowed to take revenge by attacking the men from
Namu Mbelin.

Fears of further violence sparked tension among local
residents and others in neighboring villages across Kuala
subdistrict.

Arman, who visited the area, said he had arranged a meeting
with local community and gang leaders to stop the fighting.

Kuala Police chief First Insp. Darwin Sitepu said his
detectives were searching for the people blamed for the death of
Budiman, adding that at least two suspects from Beruam had
already been arrested.

He said the police had also found several sharp weapons at the
scene as evidence in the investigation.

It remained unclear what caused the brawl. Arman did say that
there were other issues in the past between the two gangs.