TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian National Police (Polri) spokesman Brig. Gen. Raden Prabowo Argo Yuwono announced the death of one police member who had been beaten on Wednesday by a group of local residents in Yahukimo, Papua.

Prior to his death, Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) member, Brig. Hendra Saut Sibarani was an additional member stationed at the Yahukimo police department.

“Information we received from the Dekai General Hospital is that Brigadier Hendra Saut Sibarani was announced dead by medical staff,” said Argo on Wednesday, December 18.

Hendra was one out of three police members who were brutally beaten by local residents. The other two are Bripda Agustinus Nabu and Nikolaus Ribo Situr. Reports suggest that two vehicles at the scene were also burned by the masses.

According to Argo, the incident started when a police member at a checkpoint near the Yahukimo Police Headquarters reminded a local who was taking a piss beside the checkpoint. “The police’s call was responded with curses from the person,” he said.

This argument eventually turned into a fight that saw a police officer, Bripka Toniwi Pareme, being beaten and attacks on other police members. Police then searched for the suspects as the situation cooled down, however, in their search police were met with aggression from locals in the vicinity of Pasar Lama.

ANTARA