"Villagers around Lau Bekeri village in Kutalimbaru and Sei Glugur in Pancur Batu, North Sumatra, have tortured five members of the crime investigation directorate of the North Sumatra regional police command," National Police head of public relations division Inspector General Saud Usman Nasution said here on Monday.
Brigadier Ricardo Sitorus and Brigadier Siregar, along with three other officers, were trying to arrest an illegal gambling operator identified as `K', but the suspect fled while shouting "thief", causing villagers to throw stones at the police car.
When the police reached Jalan Glugur Rimbun in Simpang Lonceng their passage was blocked by ten motor-bikers who forced them to stop.
Villagers then pulled the officers out of the car while beating them. The officers shouted to identify themselves as policemen, but their pleas were ignored, according to officials.
The villagers then burned the car of the chief of intelligence of Kutaling Baru police sector. The two officers were caught in the vehicle and died at the scene, he said.
"The three other officers, namely Brigadier Albertus Zebua, Brigadier Moses Mindo Purba and Brigadier Bambang Irwanto, were able to save themselves," Saud added.
(Uu.H-YH/INE/A014)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
