Jakarta – South Jakarta Police have insisted that groups involved in a violent clash on Jl. Kemang Raya in South Jakarta on Wednesday were not affiliated with any mass organizations.
Police chief Sr. Comr. Ade Rahmat Idnal said the incident was caused by a dispute between individuals claiming to be the heirs of the owner of a plot of land in Kemang and legal representatives of a company identified only as PT GL.
"This case did not involve any mass organization, but rather individuals using [debt] collector services," Ade said on Friday, as quoted by tribunnews.com.
On Wednesday, PT GL's legal team, led by an individual identified as Anis, arrived at the plot of land on Jl. Kemang Raya with documents that included a land ownership certificate, a land registration letter and a map. The group came accompanied by debt collectors.
But it met opposition from a group of people claiming to be heirs of the plot owner.
Violent clashes broke out when an individual hit the wall standing in front of the disputed land with a hammer, provoking retaliation from the opposing group. Someone from one of the groups took out what appeared to be four rifles from a car parked in front of the crime scene.
"At around 9:25 a.m., both groups started throwing stones at each other. Some people from the company's legal team were seen carrying air rifles," Ade said.
The fight lasted around 10 minutes, but it caused traffic congestion along Jl. Kemang Raya. The commotion stopped when both sides withdrew and police officers arrived to secure the scene.
The police arrested and named 10 individuals as suspects in the case, including one person who led the attack on the disputed land.
South Jakarta Police spokesperson Comr. Murodih said that two suspects, identified only as RTA and WRR, turned themselves in to the police early on Thursday morning
The police have questioned up to 27 people in their investigation into the case, as reported by kompas.com.