Aman Rochman, Malang, East Java – Buawi, 39, a farmer from Baturetno village in SiNGOsari district, Malang regency, East Java, died after she was accidentally shot by Indonesian Air Force soldiers during an exercise on Tuesday.
She was found lying on the ground with severe gunshot wounds to her cheek at her farm, which is only a few hundred meters away from a shooting range belonging to the Air Force Special Forces (Paskhas).
Baturetno village head Mufid said Buawi was still alive when she was first found by another villager. She was rushed to a hospital but passed away on the way there, he added.
SiNGOsari Police deputy chief Adj. Comr. Budi Wibowo said the police were still in coordination with the Air Force's military police.
"There was a shooting exercise at the time of incident," he confirmed, adding that the body had been taken to the Syaiful Anwar Hospital in Malang for autopsy. "We cannot determine the cause of the death until we get the results of the autopsy," he said.
The commander of Paskhas' 464 Wing II Battalion in Malang, Maj. M Misbachul Munir, said the force was ready to be held responsible for the incident. "We extend out condolences to the victim's family. We are still investigating the accident," he said.
"Our exercise was conducted based on standard procedures, which included firing warning shots into the air, combing surrounding areas and giving notice to the nearest neighborhoods before the exercise was conducted," he explained. (bbs)