9 People Become Suspects Of The Village Head Election Riot In Dairi, North Sumatra

North Sumatra Police Head of Public Relations Kombes Hadi Wahyudi (PHOTO VIA ANTARA)

MEDAN - The 2021 Village Head Election (Pilkades) in Bertungen Julu Village, Dairi Regency, North Sumatra, Thursday, November 25 was chaotic. Luckily, the police were able to handle it so the riot didn't spread.

The Dairi Police team immediately moved quickly by naming 9 people as suspects in the riots and violent theft and destruction of ballot boxes.

The nine people named by the suspect had the initials IP, JWG, DHS, FS, KG, RDS, TJT, ATA, and SB.

The Head of Public Relations of the North Sumatra Police, Kombes Hadi Wahyudi, who was accompanied by the Deputy Director of Criminal Investigation at the North Sumatra Police, AKBP Alamsyah, said that the police initially arrested 12 people suspected of rioting and stealing the city of votes during the Pilkades in Bertungen Julu Village.

"From the results of the investigation, investigators have determined 9 suspects out of 12 people who have been arrested. We are currently asking for information from Cades number 2," said Kombes Hadi, Friday, November 26.

Kombes Hadi said that 9 people named as suspects were proven to have stolen ballot boxes and beat police officers while carrying out security duties.

"The nine people we have named as suspects have different roles including 9 people robbing and destroying ballot boxes, 2 people who tore up ballot papers. While one more person is still being searched and 1 person who provoked the masses," he said.

Kombes Hadi said the police also confiscated evidence in the form of a ballot box and ballot papers that had been damaged by the rioters.

"The nine suspects for their actions are subject to article 365 sub article 363 and or article 170 paragraph (1) sub article 406 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code and is threatened with 9 years in prison," he said.

He explained that the commotion started because the candidate pair for village head number II objected to the final results of the ballot counting.

"When the ballot boxes were brought to the sub-district office by P2KD officers who were escorted by members of the police and Babinsa there were dozens of people who seized and damaged the ballot boxes until the ballots were scattered. The following is the ballot paper," said Kombes Hadi.

Currently, Bertungen Julu Village is still guarded by joint TNI-Polri personnel.

"Currently we are still alerting a joint company of Brimob Sabhara and TNI to monitor and maintain the situation. Thank God the situation there is conducive to the community and its leaders helping each other with the duties of the personnel who secure there," concluded Kombes Hadi.