"He is believed to be a member of a separatist group because he escaped into the jungle. We are now still chasing him," the Head of the National Police`s Public Relations Division, Inspector General Anton Bachrul Alam, said.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Police said the man who shot to death the chief of the Mulia district police in Papua earlier on Monday belongs to a separatist group.
"He is believed to be a member of a separatist group because he escaped into the jungle. We are now still chasing him," the Head of the National Police`s Public Relations Division, Inspector General Anton Bachrul Alam, said here on Monday.
He said the shooting incident was certainly of special concern to the police and local police had already been ordered to pursue its perpetrator. The manhunt was led by the chief of the National Police Headquarters` security maintenance division, Commissioner General Imam Sudjarwo.
"We have also asked the military (TNI) to help us in the hunt because we know it also has high skills in these matters," he said.
"Three other shooting incidents previously occurred in Papua, namely in Timika, at Mile 38 and Mile 39, leaving eight people dead," he said.
Last Monday`s incident happened at around 11.30 am at Mulia airport in Puncak Jaya in which the chief of the Mulia police sector, Adjunct Commissioner Dominggus Oktavianus, was killed.
"The victim was in front of an aircraft when two men suddenly came and attacked him," he said.
He said one of them snatched the police commander`s pistol and with it he shot the victim on his head.
"The two fled while still carrying the gun," he said.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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