"The bullet casing most likely pierced through Saiin's thigh, so it was not found in his thigh," Senior Commissioner Agustinus, head of the health unit of the Papua Provincial Police, remarked here on Monday.
The police officer was shot on Monday at around 5 a.m. local time in Jayapura while taking off a brochure urging Papuans to partake in a protest against an incident in Surabaya, East Java, where several Papuan students were grilled for allegedly throwing Indonesia's national flag into a ditch.
In the meantime, Private 1 Sirwandi of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI), who suffered chest and stomach injuries after being fired at by armed separatists in Papua failed to respond to the treatment offered at the Wamena Public Hospital, Jayawijaya District, Papua Province, and breathed his last on Saturday evening.
Members of a separatist group, led by Egianus Kogoya, shot down Sirwandi, an officer of the Indonesian Military's Infantry Battalion (Yonif) of RK751/VJS, in Trans Wamena-Habema, Jayawijaya, Papua Province, on Friday at around 3:30 p.m. local time.
The fallen soldier's remains will be returned to his hometown in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), Lt Col Eko Daryanto, spokesman of the Regional Military Command (Kodam) XVII/Cenderawasih, stated here on Sunday.
He was operated twice in the ICU room of Wamena Hospital before succumbing to his wounds.
Sirwandi joined a military vehicle convoy carrying his battalion’s logistics when separatists abruptly ambushed them from the left and right sides of the Trans Wamena road.
A total of 12 military officers, guarding the convoy, exited the cars and fired back. The shootout lasted some 20 minutes, and the separatists then fled.
Two military officers injured in the shootout were Private Panji, who was shot at in his left hand, while Sirwandi suffered from injuries to his chest, stomach, and thigh.
Translator: Evarukdijati, Fardah
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
