TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Chief Inspector General Luki Hermawan from the East Java Police said that the Tambelang, Sampang Police Station was set fire by a group of people after they were misled by a hoax.

The hoax informed that a number of Madura figures were arrested by police in the May 22 riots in Jakarta.

"[The arson] is related to the news of a string of arrests made on several Madura figures in Jakarta," said Luki in a press conference at the East Java Police headquarters on Thursday, May 23, 2019.

He revealed that a group of people arrived at the police station to clarify the information and urged police to release the Madura figure who they thought were arrested.

"Where in fact it was a hoax," said Luki.

Although the police chief handled the situation in an orderly manner and dispersed the group, out of nowhere, these people returned to the police station and threw rocks and Molotov cocktails.

Luki explained that the hoax had actually circulated at a nearby area of Pamekasan, which was successfully resolved. "But we didn't manage to do that in Sampang," he explained.

The attack ended with the police station ruined and burned 3 cars and 11 motorcycles at the scene. No casualties were reported from this incident and local figures guaranteed that similar events will never reoccur.

NURHADI (CONTRIBUTOR)