The 27-year-old victim, identified as I, was reportedly using a grinder to dismantle the ordnance for scrap metal when it detonated in Babelan District.
Babelan Police Chief Commissioner Wito said investigators are working to determine the mortar’s origin and specifications.
"The type and other details are still under deep investigation by the Jibom Gegana team of the Jakarta Metro Jaya Regional Police," he said on Monday.
Initial assumptions that the device was a tank shell were dismissed after crime scene officers confirmed it was a mortar round.
"He obtained a mortar. The crime scene investigation (CSI) by the Jibom team concluded it was a mortar round. It was being ground, which then triggered the explosion and struck the victim," Wito explained.
Police said the explosion killed the victim instantly, causing severe trauma to his abdomen and arm. The site in Ujung Harapan Village was secured and cleared following the blast.
Specialized personnel from the Gegana Corps of the Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) are conducting a full sweep to ensure no additional unexploded ordnance is present and to assess the device's explosive characteristics.
The victim’s remains have been sent to Kramat Jati Police Hospital for a post-mortem examination.
Investigators continue collecting witness testimony, reports from the victim's family, who told officers they had warned the man against tampering with the suspicious object.
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Translator: Pradita Kurniawan Syah, Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
Editor: Anton Santoso
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