Terror Of Throwing Stones At Trains Increases In 2021, PT KAI Threatens Perpetrators To Be Prosecuted

Illustration- (PT KAI via ANTARA)

JAKARTA - PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) condemned the recent stone-throwing action against trains in a number of areas.

KAI noted that in 2018 there were 336 cases of throwing trains at trains. The number of cases had decreased in 2019 to 256 cases and in 2020 as many as 125 cases.

However, in 2021, from January to August, there have been 132 throwing cases.

VP of Public Relations of KAI (Persero) Joni Martinus said throwing trains could endanger the journey and injure passengers and officers.

"We will process the law for anyone caught throwing a train at a train," said Joni in a release received, Antara, Jakarta, Monday, September 20.

In August 2021 a machinist became a victim of stone-throwing and received medical treatment in Lahat, South Sumatra. Then, in September, a video of stone-throwing at the train track went viral around Kiaracondong station, Bandung City.

The prohibition of acts of vandalism has been regulated in the provisions of the Criminal Code (KUHP) Chapter VII concerning Crimes that Endanger the Public Security of People or Goods.

Article 194 paragraph 1 states that anyone who intentionally creates a hazard to public traffic, driven by steam or other engine power on a train or tramway, is threatened with a maximum imprisonment of 15 years.

Still in the same article in paragraph 2 it is stated, if the act results in the death of a person, the guilty person is threatened with life imprisonment or imprisonment for a certain period of up to 20 years.

He continued, the prohibition of throwing trains has also been regulated in Law Number 23 of 2007 concerning Railways where Article 180 states that everyone is prohibited from removing, damaging, or doing actions that result in damage and/or malfunction of Railway Infrastructure and Facilities.

"We ask the public not to throw trains for any reason, because even if it's just for fun, the impact will be very dangerous for the train journey and the people on the train," he said.

"KAI will continue to optimize the socialization and provision of CSR for the community around the railway line to mitigate the throwing of the train," said Joni.

Joni added that from January 2020 to August 2021, KAI had carried out 205 socialization activities for the safety and security of rail travel.

In some of these activities, KAI also distributed CSR assistance in the community relations program in the form of providing sports facilities, worship, and COVID-19 prevention tools for schools and places of worship located around the tracks.

"This hurling action against the train is very dangerous, because in addition to disrupting the smooth running of the train, it can also be life-threatening. In addition to firm action from KAI, community support is very much needed to eliminate the vandalism," said Joni.