Human Skeletons in Kepanjen Sugar Cane Fields in Malang Allegedly People with Mental Disorders Died of Starvation

Malang Police DOC/Personnel identify the human skeleton found in the sugarcane field, in Ketapang Hamlet, Kepanjen, Malang Regency, Thursday (5/1/2022). ANTARA/HO-Humas Malang Police

MALANG - The Malang Police strongly suspects that the human skeleton found on Thursday, January 5 in a sugar cane field in Ketapang Hamlet, Kepanjen District, Malang Regency, East Java, is a person with mental disorders (ODGJ).

Head of Public Relations of the Malang Police, Iptu Ahmad Taufik, explained that his party through the Malang Police Criminal Investigation Unit Identification Unit had analyzed the human skeleton.

"The results of an examination of the framework and a number of its properties confirm that the framework is ODGJ", said Taufik as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, January 9.

Taufik explained, based on the results of an examination conducted by the Identification Unit, the human skeleton was male, which could be seen from the small hip bones.

Apart from that, he continued, dreadlocks or dirty hair were also found which were strongly suspected to have come from the skeleton. The post-mortem has also been carried out by the Saiful Anwar Regional General Hospital (RSUD) Malang City.

"Based on the post-mortem results, the officers found that the condition of the skeleton was intact and there was no absorption of blood. This shows that there were no signs of violence on the victim's body", he said.

The victim allegedly died of hunger and cold in the sugarcane field. Apart from collecting evidence at the crime scene, the police have also examined several witnesses.

Several witnesses who were examined claimed to have known the whereabouts of the victim who was an ODGJ roaming around the location before he died. This is reinforced by the characteristics of the hair and clothes he wears.

"There were witnesses who claimed to know the whereabouts of ODGJ around the TKP, this confirmed the conclusions of the officers", he said.

The Malang Police have also made other efforts to uncover the identity of the skeleton findings, by disseminating information on the characteristics and belongings found around the TKP to several volunteers and through social media.

"We also convey to the volunteer community and social media, if there are people who know or lose family members, please report them to us", he said.