Prospective Head Of Bator Village In Bangkalan Hacked, 20 People Examined

BANGKALAN - Bangkalan Police officers examined as many as 20 people related to the stabbing of supporters of one of the village head candidates on April 5, 2023.

"The 20 people we examined were from all parties suspected of being involved, including residents who knew firsthand at the time of the incident at the scene," said Bangkalan Police Chief AKBP Wiwit Ari Wibisono as quoted by ANTARA, April 8.

In addition to examining a number of witnesses, the police also confiscated a number of vehicles that were suspected to have something to do with the stabbing incident of the stabbing victim, a supporter of a village head candidate in Bator Village, Klampis District, Bangkalan.

Earlier on Wednesday afternoon at around 13.30 WIB, as many as three residents of Bator Village, Klampis District, Bangkalan were victims of stabbing a group of people on Jalan Raya Halim Perdana Kusuma, Bangkalan.

The stabbing was carried out after the victim protested to the Bangkalan Regency Government Community and Village Empowerment Service (DPMD) office to protest the stages of the simultaneous Pilkades in Bangkalan Regency.

At that time, the victim was intercepted by a group of people riding four wheels, and the perpetrator immediately grabbed sharp weapons from the three residents of Bator Village.

"This case has something to do with the Pilkades conflict," said Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of Bangkalan Police, AKP Bangkit Danandjaya.

The stabbing case of the three residents has gone viral in various Whatshapp groups and currently the three have been referred to the Syarifah Ambami Regional General Hospital (RSUD) Rato Ebu Bangkalan.

For this incident, Bangkalan Police Chief Wiwit Ari Wibisono instructed the Bangkalan Police to tighten security, in order to anticipate possible countermeasures.

The simultaneous Pilkades in Bangkalan Regency will be held on May 10, 2023 in 149 villages spread across 18 sub-districts.

A total of 469 people have registered as prospective village head candidates, and have taken a competency test held at the Trunojoyo Madura University (UTM) Campus in Bangkalan on March 28, 2023.

The stabbing of three supporters of the village head candidate in Bator Village, Klampis District, Bangkalan on Wednesday is the third time since the stages of the simultaneous Pilkades began.

A similar tragedy also occurred in Manggaan Village, Modung District, namely the Chairperson of the Village Head Election Committee was hacked by supporters of other candidates for village head, because they did not pass the candidate who was supported by this person.

The next conflict also occurred in Marombuh Village, Kwanyar District and Kanagara Village, Konang District, Bangkalan.