Police secure photos of alleged church leaders’ assailants

Growing pains: Medical workers at Mitra Keluarga Hospital in Bekasi, West Java monitor the condition of HKBP church elder Hasean Lumbantoruan Sihombing on Monday. The church leader reportedly went through a critical period after being stabbed on Sunday. – JP/Jerry Adiguna

Bekasi Police have secured photographs of the suspected assailants of HKBP Church leaders Hasean Lumbantoruan Sihombing and Lusfida Simanjuntak, an officer says.

Bekasi Police chief Sr. Comr. Imam Sugiarto said Monday that the pictures would help detectives capture the suspects.

Imam said the photographs had been taken by people living near the scene of the crime, but he could not specify what the suspects looked like, kompas.com reported.

A joint team of detectives formed by Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Timur Pradopo is still hunting the suspects. Imam said the police would arrest them on Monday.

Attackers stabbed HKBP elder Sihombing in the stomach and hit church minister Lusfida on the head with a wooden plank as they headed to the Sunday service.

The two are being treated at Mitra Keluarga Hospital in East Bekasi. The church congregation has turned down government aid to cover their leaders’ medical expenses to maintain their integrity.