14 People Including Village Apparatus Become Suspects In The Hot Air Balloon Case In Ponorogo

Doc - the air balloon incident exploded in Muneng Village, Ponorogo, Monday (13/5/2024). (Desyan Handri Sujarwoko/screenshot video of residents)

PONOROGO - Ponorogo Police have named 14 suspects in the incident of exploding jumbo-sized smoke balloons which left a number of people injured and one of them died from stage four burns all over his body.

"A total of 14 people were involved in the manufacturing process to flight efforts that led to the explosion of the hot air balloon," said Head of Pidum Satreskrim Ponorogo Police, Iptu Guling Sunaka, quoted by ANTARA, Friday, May 17.

The fourteen suspects consisted of seven adults and seven minors.

This includes two women who play a role as funders for the treasurer of making hot air balloons.

"On Wednesday (15/5) yesterday we raised to the level of investigation and we named 14 suspects," he said.

The seven adult suspects are now being held in the custody of the Ponorogo Police, while the seven underage suspects are handed over to the Women and Children Protection Unit.

"The fact that the investigation results of each of their roles are clear, plus they have also admitted the making of hot air balloon firecrackers," he said.

Guling said one of the Muneng Village officials had also been named a suspect.

Where the role of the village apparatus is as a funder for making hot air balloons.

This is in accordance with the confession of other suspects as well as evidence from the treasurer's bookkeeping.

"There is one village apparatus that we have also determined, this aims to provide a deterrent effect and enforce the law firmly," added Guling.

To account for their actions, the suspects were subject to Article 1 paragraph 1 of Law No. 12 of 1951 concerning the Emergency Law with a threat of 15 years in prison.