Teenager arrested after setting fire to trains

JAKARTA - Indonesian authorities have arrested a 17-year-old boy from Jakartafor allegedly setting fire to three train carriages-two executive and one premium-on the stabling track at Tugu Station in Yogyakarta.

The suspect, named only as M, was detained in the nearby Malioboro area just hours after allegedly igniting cardboard inside one of the carriages, causing the blaze to spread.

Police believe the fire was a result of M’s frustration over being repeatedly removed from trains for travelling without a valid ticket.

"He was frequently ejected from the trains before reaching his destination,” Commissioner FX Endriadi of the Yogyakarta Police Directorate of Criminal Investigation said, as quoted by MetroTV.

He noted that records indicate M had been removed from trains nine times between 2023 and 2024 for travelling without a ticket.

CCTV footage and witness accounts led to M's identification and arrest, and due to his sensory impairment and being non-verbal, police enlisted a sign language interpreter to assist during questioning.

In light of the emotional and psychological factors surrounding the incident, M has been referred for a two-week psychiatric assessment, Endriadi added.

The fire, reported at 6.44 am local time on Wednesday, was successfully extinguished by 7.30 am, with no casualties reported and train services unaffected.

In response to the incident, railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia have pledged to increase security measures, while also raising concerns over accessibility for people with disabilities using public transport. - BERNAMA