Bareskrim names 72 suspects in 9 forest-fire cases
Police suspect some blazes were set to clear land for palm oil, seizing seedlings, polybags and fuel as evidence.
Bareskrim Polri has named 72 individual suspects in 89 police reports involving forest and land fires handled by nine regional police units. The jurisdictions include Riau, Kalimantan Barat, Sumatera Selatan, Jambi, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Timur, Aceh and Kalimantan Utara. Bareskrim's director for certain crimes, Moh. Irhamni, said investigators found elements of intent in a number of the fires. Police suspect some of the burning was carried out to clear land for palm oil planting during the rainy season. Seized evidence included 35 lighters, bottles containing diesel, pertalite and kerosene, 21 machetes, two axes, one hoe, two chainsaws, 13 used polybags and six palm oil seedlings.