Viral Driver Says His Eyes Are Stabbed By Officers At PPKM Post Apologizes To Padang Police

The former Central Tapanuli legislator, Awaluddin Rao, who was the driver who went viral in the incident at the emergency PPKM blocking post, came to the Padang City Resort Police Office / Antara

JAKARTA - The former Central Tapanuli legislator, Awaluddin Rao, who was the driver who went viral in the incident at the emergency PPKM blocking post, came to the Padang City Police Office, West Sumatra (West Sumatra), on Sunday, July 18 afternoon.

He was seen visiting the Padang Police Office at around 17.30 WIB with the aim of apologizing for the video that went viral on social media.

"I came on the basis of self-awareness and without coercion from anyone to convey an apology to the police," said Awaluddin Rao, at the Padang Police Office, as reported by Antara.

He apologized if the video that went viral with a bloody face and claimed that his eyes were "blind" on Saturday, July 17 had disrupted concentration, and even added to the task of the police as the front line in breaking the chain of COVID-19.

Awaluddin Rao, who came wearing a long-sleeved t-shirt, also admitted that he had no intention of badmouthing the police.

"I also express support for the police to carry out their duties in order to break the chain of the spread of COVID-19," he said.

He also corrected his statement in the video which said that he was stabbed by officers until his eyes were blind.

"At that time, I was in a state of panic, I didn't see any emergency PPKM postal officers stabbing me. I screamed for help because suddenly there was blood on my forehead," he said.

As for the condition of the wound, which in fact occurred at the temple, he claimed to have started to improve at this time.

The arrival of the driver was received directly by the Head of the Public Relations Sub-section Ipda Adha Tawar and the Head of SPKT III Ipda Dwi Jatmiko.

Previously, the Head of the Lubuk Kilangan Police, AKP Lija Nesmon, said that the incident began when the driver was about to enter Padang via the Lubuak Paraku blocking post on Friday, July 16, at around 02.30 WIB.

The vehicle was then stopped by the officer to check the driver's documents as a requirement to enter Padang City during the emergency PPKM period.

These requirements are in the form of a vaccine certificate, or the results of a PCR or antigen test that states that they are free of COVID-19.

However, he and his colleagues could not show these requirements, so they were asked to turn around like other vehicles that did not meet the requirements.

"When asked to turn back, the driver did not accept, protested, and started provoking the officers, even though we were only carrying out our duties according to the rules and regulations," he said.

The driver also continued to refuse when asked to get into the car to make a U-turn.

Not long after, he continued, the man's face looked bloody and he admitted that he was stabbed by the officer with a pen.