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Police arrest 11 related to temple burnings in North Sumatra
The police have arrested 11 people suspected of burning down several Buddhist and Chinese temples in Tanjung Balai, North Sumatra.
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Residents gather in front of Dewi Samudera, a Chinese temple in Tanjung Balai, North Sumatra, which was plundered and set ablaze by an angry mob on Friday evening. (Courtesy of kini.co.id/-)
T
he police have arrested 11 people suspected of burning down several Buddhist and Chinese temples in Tanjung Balai, North Sumatra.
Tanjung Balai Police spokesman Adj. Comr. Yani Sinulingga said the police had arrested four suspects on Sunday, in addition to seven who were already in police custody.
“The suspects are still undergoing intensive interrogation. We have also listed dozens of people on our most-wanted list [DPO] of fugitives, we will arrest more people soon,” Yani said, as quoted by kompas.com.
(Read also : False news spread on social media incited riot in N. Sumatra: Police chief)
Hundreds of people burned down several Buddhist vihara, Chinese temples and pagodas in Tanjung Balai on Friday, triggered by a protest from a local ethnic Chinese resident, who had reprimanded Al Maksum Mosque and asked it to turn down its loudspeaker.
The police had been criticized for their absence during the attacks that affected one vihara and three pagodas on Jl. Pantai Amor, one vihara on Jl. Imam Bonjol and one pagoda on Jl. Ade Irma. The mob also destroyed prayer equipment, Buddha statues, tables, chairs, lamps and several cars and motorbikes.
