This policeman's body was flown aboard a chartered aircraft from Aminggaru Airport in Ilaga, Puncak District, to Mimika District, the Papua Provincial Police spokesman, Senior Commissioner Ahmad Kamal told ANTARA here on Tuesday.
Kamal confirmed the receipt of a report saying that Hedar's body had arrived at the Timika Public Hospital for a post-mortem examination. It was then flown to Makassar, the capital city of South Sulawesi Province, and transported to Barru District for burial.
To this end, Hedar's parents residing in Serui, South Yapen Sub-district, Yapen Isles District, Papua Province, were also in Biak to depart for Makassar, he noted.
The abduction and shooting incident occurred when First Brigadier Hedar and his colleague, Chief Brigadier Alfonso Wakum, were riding a motorcycle in Usir Village near Mudidok Village, Puncak District, on Monday, at around 11 a.m. local time.
While passing by this village, a local resident called out their names in response to which they stopped and met the villager. However, a few minutes later, a group of armed separatists suddenly appeared from a bush to intercept them.
Sentient of the threat, Wakum was still able to hide, but the armed rebels caught Hedar and killed him not far from the place where they were intercepted.
Wakum later reported this incident to the Ilaga police post. At around 5:30 p.m. local time, Hedar's body was found near the crime scene.
The Papuan armed separatists have repeatedly launched deadly attacks and killings over the past years.
On December 2, 2018, for instance, a group of armed Papuan rebels had brutally killed 31 workers from PT Istaka Karya, who were engaged in construction and building the Trans Papua project in Kali Yigi and Kali Aurak in Yigi Sub-District, Nduga District.
The armed rebels, who launched the brutal killings, also killed a soldier named Handoko and injured two other security personnel: Sugeng and Wahyu.
Acknowledging this grim reality, Papua Police Chief Inspector General Rudolf A. Rodja stated that the security disturbances, caused by the rebels, remain a persistent challenge for Indonesia's security apparatuses in the province.
In the first semester of 2019, at least 10 shooting incidents involving these armed separatists have occurred that claimed seven lives.
Five of the dead victims were soldiers, while two others were a policeman and civilian, Rodja had stated on July 3, 2019.
The shooting incidents that took place in the working areas of the Puncak Jaya and Jayawijaya Police Precincts during the January-June period this year had also resulted in six soldiers and two policemen suffering from gunshot wounds. Related news: President orders handling of armed criminal group problem in Papua
Translator: Evarukdijati, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
