Officers Stabbed, Nine Blangpidie Aceh Prisoners Escape

BANDA ACEH - Nine inmates escaped after injuring a Class IIB Blangpidie Correctional Institution (Lapas) officer, Aceh Barat Daya District, Aceh.

Head of Class IIB Blangpidie Prison Ahmad Widodo said the inmates escaped after stabbing an officer on Friday, July 16 afternoon.

"The inmates stabbed the officers and broke through a number of isolation doors. They also broke into the main door, but to no avail," said Ahmad Widodo, quoted by Antara, Saturday, July 17.

According to Ahmad Widodo, after the main door failed to open, they went to the office hall and broke down the door. After entering the hall, they found several tools that were often used for community service.

"The hall was used as a warehouse. So, there were machetes, hammers and other tools. Using hammers, they broke through the iron bars of the windows. Then, the inmates jumped out of the prison," said Ahmad Widodo.

Ahmad Widodo said that when the nine inmates escaped there was a team of five officers on picket. Officers were able to confront the prisoners.

"But, they stabbed the officer. The officer who was stabbed is now at the Tengku Peukan Regional General Hospital undergoing medical treatment," said Ahmad Widodo.

Meanwhile, the joint police and military officers chased the escaped convict. One of them was arrested while trying to escape towards the mountains around the prison.

"The police, assisted by members of the TNI from Kodim 0110, Aceh Barat Daya are still chasing them. The police also conducted raids at a number of points to narrow the space for the prisoners to move," said Southwest Aceh Police Chief AKBP Muhammad Nasution.

AKBP Muhammad Nasution said that apart from the raids, joint forces also searched the mountainous area behind the Class IIB prison building.

"From our initial information, all the escaped prisoners fled towards the mountain behind the prison building," said AKBP Muhammad Nasution.