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Police to run ballistics tests following death of mining protester
The police forensics laboratory team in Makassar, South Sulawesi, were due to start ballistic tests on Wednesday after a protester demonstrating against a mining operation in Parigi Moutong regency died of gunshot wounds in the early hours of Sunday morning.
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Hundreds of police personnel attempt to push back protesters during a rally in Manado, North Sulawesi, in May 2017. (Kompas.com/Ronny Adolof Buol)
T
he police forensics laboratory team in Makassar, South Sulawesi, were due to start ballistic tests on Wednesday after a protester, demonstrating against a mining operation in Parigi Moutong regency, died of gunshot wounds in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The police will examine 60 rounds from 20 weapons to be compared with the bullets found in the body of Erfaldi, a 21-year-old college student from Tada village, South Tinombo district, Parigi Moutong.
Erfaldi died after police broke up a protest against gold-mining company PT Trio Kencana in Siney village, South Tinombo, last Saturday night.
Hundreds of residents of Toribulu dand South Tinombo districts staged a protest from Saturday noon until past midnight against planned mining operations by PT Trio Kencana near their areas.
During the rally, they blockaded the trans-Sulawesi highway.
Central Sulawesi Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Didik Supranoto told kompas.id on Tuesday that police were still investigating the shooting and had questioned 17 police officers. He said that once the ballistics test results came through, the identities of the shooters would be revealed.
“If there is evidence that a police officer opened fire, it means that there is negligence among the superiors in controlling personnel carrying firearms when securing demonstrations. This violates the rules," said Didik.
