Military spokesman denies blast in Jakarta’s Monas Square an attack
The Jakarta Metropolitan Police temporarily closed a road section around the National Monument (Monas) Square area in Central Jakarta following the occurrence of a blast on Tuesday morning (3/12/2019). (ANTARA/HO-TMC PoldaMetroJaya). Sketched by the Pan Pacific Agency.
JAKARTA, Dec 3, 2019, ANTARA. The Jakarta Military Command (Kodam Jaya) confirmed that the smoke grenade blast injuring two army personnel engaged in sports at the National Monument (Monas) Square area, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday morning, was not an attack, ANTARA reported.
“No one launched an attack on them,” Lt Col Zulhadrie, the Kodam Jaya spokesman, stated while adding that Sgt Major Fajar and Master Private Gunawan were partaking in sports and a fun walk at the Monas Square area along with their colleagues from the Jakarta garrison.
During the fun walk, they came across a plastic bag containing a smoke grenade. However, it exploded all of a sudden and caused injuries to the two ill-fated army personnel, who were then hospitalized at the Gatot Subroto Army Hospital (RSPAD).
In connection with this case, the Jakarta Metropolitan Police stated that Sgt Major Fajar and Master Private Gunawan were the eye witnesses in the blast since they were among those who firstly knew of the blast and heard it.
However, they continue to receive medical treatment for their injuries, Jakarta Metropolitan Police Chief Inspector General Gatot Eddy Pramono had noted earlier.
Police investigators continue to intensify efforts at the site of the incident to locate individuals, who could be categorized as the most significant witnesses or those who directly knew and heard the blast, Pramono revealed.
The police investigators will interrogate the wounded victims in their capacity as eye witnesses after their recovery, he stated, adding that the Jakarta police had sent their teams of investigators to probe the incident.
In helping police investigators to focus on their work at the site of the blast, the Jakarta Metropolitan Police have temporarily shut down a road section around the Monas Square area.
According to the Jakarta Metropolitan Police’s Traffic Management Center, the road section, closed since around 8:37 a.m. local time, affected the flow of traffic in the Medan Merdeka Timur and Medan Merdeka Utara areas.
The road section was closed to help police investigators accomplish their requisite tasks at the blast site. Several policemen were spotting placing barricades to reroute traffic and safeguard the closed road section.
On Nov 13, a blast ripped through the Medan city police headquarters in North Sumatra Province, resulting in a suicide bomber being killed and six others sustaining injuries.
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