Arrest 9 Perpetrators Involved In Karhutla, Riau Police Chief Gives Strict Action Warning Anyone, Including Corporations Involved

Police officers in Riau trying to extinguish the fires of forest and land fires. ANTARA/HO-Riau Police

RIAU - Riau Police have arrested nine individual suspects who were behind eight cases of forest and land fires (karhutla) in a number of places in recent times.

Riau Police Chief Inspector General Mohammad Iqbal promised not to be impartial in taking action against forest and land fires perpetrators, both individuals and corporations who were clearly proven to have committed arson.

The handling of the forest and land fires case took place at the Bengkalis Police with one case and one suspect, while the area of land burned was 2 hectares. Siak Police handled one case with one suspect and 4 hectares of land burned.

Meanwhile, the Rokan Hulu Police handled one case with two suspects and 2 hectares of land burned. Rokan Hilir Police handled three cases with three suspects and 12 hectares of land burned. Finally, the Indragiri Hilir Resort Police handled two cases with two suspects and 107.5 hectares of land burned.

"There are two cases still under investigation, in the first stage there is one case, and in the second stage five cases," explained Inspector General Iqbal in a statement in Pekanbaru, Antara, Saturday, July 27.

Iqbal appealed to the community, both individuals and companies, to no longer clear or clear land by burning. Especially in the dry season which will certainly lead to a greater potential for forest and land fires.

Iqbal stated that thousands of personnel in his ranks were already very prepared, if at any time they had to be sent to the location to take mitigation steps.

He added that the Riau Police and its ranks continue to be committed to dealing with forest and land fires by carrying out prevention, suppression, and fair law enforcement.

"Our commitment is clear, Riau must be free from smoke disasters. Let's continue our success in dealing with forest and land fires, hand in hand and work together. The key is that even the smallest hotspots must be quickly detected and extinguished," he concluded.