Medan, North Sumatra (ANTARA News) - Seventeen people have been arrested for allegedly manhandling police commissioner Andar Siahaan to death recently.

The head of the operations bureau of the North Sumatra Regional Police Command, said here on Saturday the suspects have now been moved to the detention center of the North Sumatra Regional Police Command Headquarters to calm down the situation in Simalungun following the incident on Wednesday night.

Andar Siahaan and three other officers were trying to arrest gambling operators in Buttu Bayu village in the sub-district of Dolok Pardamean in North Sumatra at around 9pm when the gambling operators suddenly shouted "thieves" to them making people in the village to come out and started beating them.

Seeing the arrival of the people the officers ran but Andar Siahaan was later caught by the people who then beat him up leading to his death. He suffered serious injuries in the head caused by blunt objects.

The North Sumatra Police Command spokesman, Senior Commissioner Heru Prakoso said the police were still questioning IS, MP, US and WS to see their involvement in the case.

(H-YH/A014)

Editor: Jafar M Sidik
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