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Four arrested with Molotov cocktails in Batam land dispute
Police have arrested four people accused of involvement in a riot that saw 18 houses catch fire in connection with a land dispute between locals and a company in Batam.
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Residents run in panic after locals throw Molotov cocktails in Batam during a land seizure on Tuesday. (JP/Fadli)
P
olice have arrested four people accused of involvement in a riot that saw 18 houses catch fire in connection with a land dispute between locals and a company in Batam
On Tuesday, the execution of a land seizure ordered by Batam District Court on behalf of PT Kencana Maju Raya ended with an altercation between locals inhabiting the land and court executors as well as company representatives. Eighteen upscale houses at the Glory Point housing complex next to the land caught fire after Molotov cocktails thrown by locals had hit them.
Batam Police chief Sr. Comr. Helmy Santika said the riot lasted from morning until afternoon, when the situation was finally brought under control.
Helmy said police had arrested the four people on Wednesday and confiscated sharp weapons, slingshots and 400 Molotov cocktails.
“They prepared 400 Molotov cocktails and we confiscated all of them. The houses were on fire because the Molotov cocktails missed their targets,” he added.
Helmy said the district court had decided in favor of the company against hundreds of families that had built houses on the 10-hectare plot of land.
“We have agreed with the Batam mayor and Batam council speaker to hold off the land execution,” he said. (evi)
