A police officer from the Mobile Brigade, Brig. Ronald, was killed by unidentified gunmen while on a routine patrol in the area of PT Freeport Indonesia on Tuesday.
Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. B. L Tobing said Ronald was on patrol with his team when he was shot while crossing the east embankment of PT Freeport's area.
Ronald was immediately taken to Kuala Kencana health center.
Police suspect the gunmen are linked to a separatist group led by Kelly Kwalik.
Tobing said that police officers had been deployed to hunt down the gunmen.
Road access between Timika to Tembagapura was cordoned off following the shooting for the police to conduct an investigation.
"Access is temporarily closed during the investigation. We express our deep condolence to the bereaved family," said PT Freeport Indonesia spokesman Ramdani Sirait as quoted by kompas.com.
On Jan. 9, two workers of PT Freeport were shot dead on the same route linking Tembagapura and Timika. (aml)