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Epileptic man allegedly beaten by Central Jakarta park security
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Scavengers collect empty plastic bottles and used cardboard that are sold to middle men. The man with epilepsy, Ali Achmat Firmansyah, was carrying Rp 2.4 million he had earned from scavenging when he was allegedly assaulted by security guards at Lapangan Banteng Park on Saturday. (Shutterstock/File)
A
man with epilepsy was found covered with bruises and cigarette burns on Saturday at Lapangan Banteng Park in Central Jakarta, after an alleged beating from security guards that forced him to admit to being a thief.
“I am not a thief, but [the security guards] did not believe me. They burned my body with their cigarettes, believing I was a thief,” said Ali Achmat Firmansyah on Monday, as quoted by kompas.com.
Ali said he was carrying Rp 2.4 million (US$164) in cash on him. The guards who allegedly beat him thought the money was stolen, he said.
“It was the money I made from collecting empty plastic bottles and used cardboard,” Ali said.
He said the guards dragged and handcuffed him to a bench before they beat him.
His sister Sari confirmed that Ali often scavenged for plastic bottles and used cardboard, and also helped people move house.
Jakarta Social Agency head Irmansyah said the agency’s staff rescued Ali after they received a report from Lapangan Banteng Park security. They then took Ali to city-owned social rehabilitation center Bina Insan Bangun Daya in West Jakarta for treatment.
“During treatment, he had an epileptic seizure,” said Masyudi, the head of Bina Insan Bangun Daya, in a written statement sent to The Jakarta Post.
Ali’s father, TB Herman Wijaya, filed a complaint on Monday with the Central Jakarta Police on the assault. He said the police had obtained footage from a CCTV camera that had captured the incident.
