3-5-2024 (JAKARTA) A Singaporean man found himself on the brink of a perilous situation in Batam on April 29, narrowly escaping a potential lynching after being wrongly suspected of attempting to kidnap a child.
According to a report by iNews on May 1, the man, identified only as GW, had visited a convenience store situated in a residential area at Batu Aji, Batam. Upon exiting the store, GW, wearing glasses, offered some sweets to a child playing nearby in a seemingly innocent gesture.
However, an onlooker misinterpreted the act and promptly accused GW of attempting to abduct the child. The situation quickly escalated as locals gathered around the trio, their hostility intensifying with the growing crowd.
Fortunately, a stroke of luck intervened as a police patrol car happened to pass by. Alerted to the unfolding commotion, officers swiftly intervened, rescuing the Singaporean man from the potentially volatile mob.
At the police station, GW encountered difficulty in explaining himself due to his lack of proficiency in Bahasa Indonesia. However, despite the language barrier, law enforcement authorities found no evidence to support the allegations of attempted kidnapping levelled by the locals.
Samuel Toba, head of the Batam Immigration Office, shed light on the incident, stating, “The man’s actions were perceived as unusual within the local community, leading to heightened suspicion.” Consequently, in an effort to defuse the tense situation and ensure the safety of the Singaporean national, GW was deported from Batam.
