Police Halau Clashes Between Residents At BIL-Mandalika Bypass

Police's official vehicle is on standby after disbanding residents involved in clashes on the BIL-Mandalika Bypass route, Central Lombok, NTB, Tuesday (20/2/2024). (ANTARA/HO-Polda NTB)

Police officers chased away clashes between residents that occurred on the Lombok International Airport Bypass (BIL) route to the Mandalika Circuit, Central Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara.

"From the report I received this afternoon, the Central Lombok Police Chief has gone to the field and has succeeded in urging the people involved to withdraw and now all have returned to their respective homes," said Head of Public Relations of the NTB Police, Kombes Rio Indra Lesmana in Mataram, as reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, February 20.

He said the BIL-Sirkuit Mandalika Bypass route, which is the location for clashes between residents, is now under control.

"The bypass channel has been reopened and transportation vehicles have been allowed to pass," he said.

Meskipun demikian, Rio memastikan untuk menjaga situasi tetap aman, kepolisian masih terus bersiaga di lokasi untuk mencegah kembali aksi berterangan tersebut.

"So, around 11.00 WITA, all of them had disbanded. Now the personnel are still on standby at the location. There is also a security support from Brimob," he said.

The residents involved in these clashes came from two neighboring villages in Pujut District, Central Lombok Regency, namely Ketara Village and Alleyanyar Village.

The clashes that occurred allegedly were still related to a similar incident on Wednesday (7/2). In the clashing two weeks ago, one of the residents from Ketara Village was killed.

The clash started with the action of the residents of Alleyar Village who judged one of the residents of Ketara Village for allegedly stealing public street lights on the bypass route.

The legal process against the theft has been followed up by the police by arresting a resident of the alleged perpetrator in early February 2024.

Rio conveyed that the NTB Police Chief Inspector General Raden Umar Faroq had previously followed up on the incident through meetings with a number of community leaders and government officials.

The results of the meeting have been agreed on by peace between the residents of Ketara Village and Alleyar Village who were involved in the clashes by entrusting the completion of the legal process in the theft case and the death of a resident in the clash on Wednesday (7/2) to the police.

"So, if this happens again, it means that there is a provocation. This will be seen later from the process of tracing field information," said Rio.