Six teenagers drown after dawn brawl in Ciputat, Tangerang

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Sun, 09/14/2008 4:42 PM  |  Jakarta

Six teenagers drowned following a dawn brawl involving teenagers from the Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) housing complex and those from neighboring Saidin village in Ciputat on Sunday morning, Antara news agency reported.

A search and rescue team found six teenagers who had already drowned and rescued one (in a critical condition) at Situ Sasak Tinggi lake.

Witnesses said a group of teenagers were involved in brawl following a firecracker war on the lake's shore. Losing in numbers, about 20 teenagers from the Brimob housing group ran away around 5.30 a.m..

The situation became worse when police arrived. Several teenagers jumped into the lake to avoid police and the Saidin villagers.

Chief Brig. Mino, a member of the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) Search and Rescue team, said the six teenagers, Ibnu Ganesha (13), Solihin Bujang (15), Randi (15), Sinung (16), Maulana (15) and Muhamad Iqbal (16), were found dead in the lake; while another boy, Abimanyu, was taken to Bhinneka Husada hospital.

Mino said Ibnu was found on the surface at 6.00 a.m., while the others had sunk to the bottom of the lake which is between five and ten meters deep. The team searched for one hour before finding their bodies.

Five of the victims were buried that morning, while Ibnu's body was flown to Yogyakarta.

Separately, Pamulang police chief Bambang Sugeng said he was unable to make a statement about either the cause of the incident or those responsible. (rid/dre)

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