8 Miners Not Successfully Evacuated, Investigation Of Illegal Gold Mining In Banyumas Continued By Police

Banyumas Police Chief Kombes Edy Suranta Sitepu/ANTARA/Sumarwoto

BANYUMAS - The Banyumas Police, Central Java, continues to investigate the illegal gold mining case in Pancurendang Village even though evacuation efforts against eight trapped miners have been stopped without giving any results.

"I need to convey that the investigation process is still ongoing. We are still carrying out investigative steps, so that the investigation process can be completed soon and we will transfer it to the Prosecutor's Office," said Banyumas Police Chief Kombes Edy Suranta Sitepu as reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, August 1.

The police chief said this when giving a press statement after the closing ceremony of the SAR operation in an evacuation effort against eight miners trapped in the mining well, Grumbul Tajur, since Tuesday (25/7) night.

Regarding the mining process at the location, the Police Chief said it was very far from safety principles and very dangerous.

"I as the Chief of Police appeal to the public not to carry out mining in this location anymore," he said.

In the future, the police will guard and close the mine site.

The police will ask that houses or co-workers at the mine site be torn down so that no more people carry out mining in that place.

"Because we don't want there to be more victims like this. Just this one," he said.

The Banyumas Police Chief hopes that the community around the location will be pro-active in providing the slightest information if there are mining activities

When asked about the number of suspects in the illegal gold mining case, the Police Chief said that so far there are still four people.

"We are still looking for those who are included in the DPO (wanted list)," he explained.

Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of the Banyumas Police, Kompol Agus Supriadi Siswanto, said that his party had formed a special team to pursue one of the suspects with the initials DR who was known to have fled outside the Banyumas area.

According to him, until now the number of witnesses examined is still 23 people.

The police will ensnare the suspects under Article 359 of the Criminal Code in addition to Article 158 subsidiary Article 161 of Law Number 4 of 2OO9 concerning Mineral and Coal Mining that was previously implemented.

Previously, the Banyumas Police named four suspects in the illegal gold mining case in Pancurendang Village, namely SN (76) as the land owner, KS (43) and WI (43) as the manager of Sumur I and DR (40) as the manager of Sumur II.

However, until now, the suspect DR is still being chased because he is known to have fled.

The illegal gold mining case was revealed after 8 miners were reportedly trapped in a mining well since Tuesday (25/7), at 23.00 WIB, due to water inundating wells.

The eight trapped miners consisted of Cecep Suriyana (29), Muhammad Rama Abd Rohman (38), Ajat (29), Mad Kholis (32), Marmumin (32), Muhidin (44), Jumadi (33), and Mulyadi (40) and all of them came from Bogor Regency, West Java.

However, after an evacuation effort was carried out by the joint SAR team since Wednesday (26/7), the water that inundated the mining well did not recede.

Until finally the SAR operation coordinated by the Cilacap SAR Office was declared closed on Tuesday (1/8) afternoon even though the 8 miners trapped in the well could not be evacuated.