Tension grips Samosir as 150 students held hostage

Tension marked the regional election in Samosir regency in North Sumatra on Thursday as supporters of a candidate held 150 university students hostage, kompas.com reported.

The supporters intercepted three buses carrying the students in Tomok seaport as they were heading for the provincial capital of Medan after casting their ballots.

The angry people suspected the students as ghost voters who were intentionally deployed to vote for incumbent regent Mangindar Simbolon. The students were evacuated to the Samosir police precinct office, only after North Sumatra police chief Insp. Gen. Oegroseno intervened.

Mangindar denied the protesters’ allegation, saying the students were registered voters who happened to study in Medan.

“Indeed our team facilitated their homecoming trip and another candidate did the same. It’s normal if we helped them exercise their right to vote,” Mangindar said.

Assistant to the regional secretary for administration Ombang Siboro said the students were forced to confess to accepting money from the incumbent while being held hostage.