TASIKMALAYA - A 21-year-old man is under police custody in Tasikmalaya, West Java, after allegedly molesting an 85-year-old woman while intoxicated.
The suspect, identified as Panji, admitted that he had been drunk and lost control of himself during the incident.
According to Indonesian news agency DetikJabar, the suspect was arrested shortly after committing the alleged crime by the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Bantarkalong Police, with assistance from the Women and Children Protection Unit of the Tasikmalaya Police Headquarters.
The incident reportedly took place in the early hours of Oct 25, when the elderly woman was asleep in her home near the suspect’s residence.
“Yes, we received a report regarding a sexual assault case. The victim is an elderly woman, around 85 years old.
“The suspect was successfully detained as soon as he was identified,” said Tasikmalaya Police Criminal Investigation chief AKP Ridwan Budiarta.
Ridwan said the investigation found that the suspect had been heavily intoxicated at the time of the alleged offence.
Before the incident, Panji was believed to have been drinking alcohol alone in a hut near the rice fields not far from the village.
He added that the suspect, who was intoxicated at the time, broke into the victim’s house, which had been left unlocked.
The victim, who lived alone, was startled, awake by noises inside her house before being attacked.
Panji allegedly hugged her from behind and forced her into indecent acts despite her attempts to resist.
Ridwan explained that the victim tried to resist but was overpowered by the suspect due to fear and the difference in strength, which ultimately led to the incident.
The suspect fled the scene after the assault but was arrested a few hours later following swift action by local police, who responded to reports from villagers.
Police also seized clothing belonging to both the victim and the suspect as evidence.
The elderly victim was reported to be traumatised and was now receiving medical care and psychological support.
Ridwan said the victim’s psychological condition was still being assessed and confirmed that the case was under thorough investigation, with the victim scheduled for a medical examination and the suspect now in custody.