National Police revised its earlier report this morning saying a police officer was killed by a group of armed men in Timika, citing that the police officer had been left severely injured after he was brutally attacked by around 15 armed men in Timikia, Papua, on the day of the 50th anniversary of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) on Thursday.
National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Saud Usman Nasution said that two Nimbokrang police officers, Bripda Ridwan Napitupulu and Bripka Dian Budi Santosa, were attacked on their way to check on a reported Morning Star flag raising at the village of Berap, Nimbokrang, Jayapura.
“Before they reached the location, they were stopped by 15 men with traditional weapons. Bripka Dian managed to escape but Bripda Ridwan was caught and assaulted,” he told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
He said that the 15 unknown men attacked officer Ridwan with sharp traditional weapons such as knives and arrows, inflicting him with waist and facial wounds.
The officer, Saud said, has been taken to the Youwari hospital in Sentani, Jayapura, for treatment.
According to Saud, on the OPM anniversary day, the police have taken down the outlawed Morning Star flags that were found raised in Wamena, Jayawijaya and Timika.