9 Months Last, Riau Police Arrest 34 Land Burners

Illustration of criminals (ANTARA)

PEKANBARU - In the last 9 months, the Riau Police have arrested 34 people in cases of forest and land fires (karhutla). Based on the latest data in the first week of October 2023, a total of 192.48 hectares of land in Riau Province were burned due to forest and land fires.

Riau Police Sub-Directorate AKBP Bob Martin explained that his party had also uncovered 1 other case and arrested 1 suspect.

"The hotspot recap for the period 2 to October 2023, the area of land burned 192.48 hectares. Law enforcement for the period September 25 to October has revealed 1 case and 1 suspect," said Bob Martin, Monday, October 9.

In addition to efforts to extinguish the fire, the Karhutla Task Force also seeks persuasive actions by conducting counseling, spreading announcements, posting banners, and carrying out forest and land fire patrols on sea and air.

"We also held a standby and extinguishing ceremony and cooling. Gakkum Karhutla in Riau Province for the period January 1 to October 2023 there were 36 cases of forest and land fires. The number of suspects was 35 people and the total area of land burned by hectares," he concluded.

Previously, 34 suspects in forest and land fires were arrested by the Riau Police's Special Criminal Investigation Directorate (Ditreskrimsus) in the period January to September 2023.

Of the 34 suspects, 35 were Police Reports (LP) handled by investigators. However, the most cases were handled at the Rokan Hilir Police Station (Rohil).

"Of the 34 suspects, there are 35 cases or cases handled by investigators. Most of them are handled by the Rohil Police, namely 11 suspects," said Head of Sub-Directorate for Tipidter of the Riau Police Ditreskrimsus, Kompol Andrie Setiawan.

As a result, a total of 1,223 hectares (Ha) of land in 8 regencies/cities in Riau have been burned. The most widely burned land is Dumai City 816.5 Ha, Bengkalis Regency 339.5 Ha, Rokan Hilir 26 Ha, Indragiri 16.5 Ha, Pelalawan 15 Ha, Kuantan Singingi 7 Ha, Rokan Hulu 1.5 Ha and Pekanbaru Police 1 Ha.