Forest Fires In Riau, Police Conduct Investigation And Examine 20 Witnesses

Rain fires in Riau (ANTARA)

PekanBARU - Police officers examined as many as 20 witnesses related to forest and land fires (karhutla) that hit the border of Dumai City and Bengkalis Regency, Riau Province, since several weeks.

The Director of Criminal Investigation at the Riau Police, Kombes Teguh Widodo, explained that the 20 witnesses consisted of 16 people in the Dumai City area and four people in Bengkalis Regency.

"Still in the process of investigating who was behind the arson. So far, 20 people have been investigated," he said, quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, May 4.

He said the dozens of people being examined were individuals and until now there has been no indication of corporate involvement.

Teguh said the Dumai Police and Bengkalis Police had invited expert witnesses from the Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB) to investigate the case.

"The expert witness from IPB, namely Professor Bambang Heru, is scheduled to be brought in today," he said.

Professor Bambang Heru will check and study the location of the forest and land fires to find out scientifically whether this incident occurred on purpose or not.

Forest and land fires on the border of Dumai City and Bengkalis Regency have occurred since April 19, 2023, by scorched an area of almost 100 hectares.

The fire is located in the peatland location and is suspected to be used as plantation land. The plantation location is about 6 kilometers from APP Sinar Mas partner company.

Riau Governor Syamsuar, Riau Police Chief Inspector General Pol Mohammad Iqbal, and Korem 131/Wira Bima Commander Brigadier General Dany Racka Andalasawan along with a number of ranks have gone down to the fire site to review and participate in extinguishing it.