Twitter users urged not to spread photo of Mbah Maridjan's body

Users of popular social networking site Twitter have urged others to stop circulating a photograph of the body of Mbah Maridjan, who was locally known to be a spiritual guardian of the erupting Mount Merapi.

The photograph shows the dead body of Mbah Maridjan, whose real name is Ki Surakso Hargo, kneeling as if in a Muslim prayer position in his house on the slopes of the mountain.

Artist Melanie Subono posted on the online messaging site that she felt bad after she had forwarded the photo, and called on others not to do the same.

Others said that circulating the photo was disrespectful to the victim's family.

Mbah Maridjan once modeled for a local product.