Timika, Papua (ANTARA News)- Police in Mimika, Papua, are investigating the death on Monday of two employees of PT Kuala Pelabuhan Indonesia, a contractor of PT Freeport Indonesia, at Mile 51 between Timika and Tembagapure.

Papua regional police deputy chief Brigadier General Paulus Waterpauw said until now the police had not yet been able to determine if the victims` car had been shot at and caught fire before or after it had turned upside down.

"We have not been able yet to determine this because there were no witnesses," he said.

He said there was indeed a security post located near the scene manned by police Mobile Brigade members assigned as part of the security unit of PT Freeport Indonesia but the officers there did not hear any gunshots when the incident occurred.

To establish the cause of their death the bodies of the victims had been taken to a hospital in Tembagapura for an autopsy and identification.

PT Freeport Indonesia spokesman Ramdani Sirait meanwhile said according to earlier reports received by the management there were marks on the victims` car rembling bullet holes.

"The initial reports indicated there were what appeared to be shooting marks on the car`s body," he said.

Ramdani said the two employees of PT KPI died in a car incident that happened at Mile 51 on the road between Timika and Tembagapura at around 9.15am local time.

"That day we received a report the incident involving the light car claimed two lives. The incident happened at around Mile Post 51 in our working area in Papua," he said.

The car the two employees were riding in belonged to PT KPI. The two victims were Nasyun Naboth Simopiaref and Thomas Bagiarsa.

After the incident, company shuttle services between Timika and Tembagapura were temporarily suspended. (*)

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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