Jakarta - The Indonesian military has apologized for shooting at and wounding students during a pro-independence demonstration in the remote province of Irian Jaya, witnesses and press reports said Saturday. Local military commander Colonel Samuel Josef made a public apology Friday in the provincial capital of Jayapura, where the shooting took place, the Kompas daily said.

One university student was in a critical condition and a high-school girl recuperating from a gunshot wound to her knee, Kompas said, adding that a police agent was also hospitalized in critical condition.

Steven Suripatty, who Friday was reported to have died in the shooting, was still in coma in the intensive care unit suffering serious injuries, a hospital source told AFP by telephone Saturday from Jayapura. "Steven was shot right below his ear. The bullet went through his head," said Etty, a nurse at Jayapura General Hospital.

Witnesses said shooting began after students beat up police sergeant Dahlan (eds: one name) in front of the Cendrawasih University campus assembly hall. They also threw rocks at a truckload of troops sent to the campus after the sergeant was taken to the hospital. The students fled to safety after the first shots range out.