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Police investigate two over suspected land burning in Kotawaringin Timur
🇮🇩 Indonesia /Crime & Justice

Police investigate two over suspected land burning in Kotawaringin Timur

From CNN Indonesia · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Under investigation
  • Police are investigating two individuals in connection with suspected land burning in Kotawaringin Timur, Central Kalimantan.
  • The two were apprehended near the scene of the suspected burning, but their status remains that of individuals being questioned, not suspects.
  • Authorities are working to gather evidence to determine if criminal charges are warranted, while also noting a severe increase in land and forest fires this year compared to previous ones.

Authorities in Kotawaringin Timur, Central Kalimantan, are investigating two residents apprehended in connection with suspected land burning. The individuals were detained near the area where alleged land burning activities were observed along Jalan Lingkar Utara, also known as Jalan Ir Soekarno, in Baamang district.

The karhutla case is still in process. Regarding those newly apprehended in Baamang District, we are also still processing them. If the evidence is sufficient, we will announce it immediately.

— Resky Maulana ZulkarnainThe Kotawaringin Timur Police Chief commenting on the ongoing investigation into land burning incidents.

Kotawaringin Timur Police Chief AKBP Resky Maulana Zulkarnain stated that the investigation is ongoing to collect evidence and confirm the presence of criminal elements. He emphasized that the status of the two individuals is currently that of persons being questioned, and they have not yet been named as suspects. The police are working to determine their respective roles and gather necessary evidence.

This development comes as Kotawaringin Timur faces a severe land and forest fire (karhutla) season. The Head of the Kotawaringin Timur Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), Multazam, described the situation in 2026 as significantly more challenging than in 2023, noting the extraordinary scale of the fires. As of August 20, 2026, BPBD data indicated 401 karhutla incidents, burning over 1,394 hectares across several sub-districts.

There are two people who were apprehended around Jalan Lingkar Utara or Jalan Ir Soekarno.

— Resky Maulana ZulkarnainThe Police Chief specifying the location where the two individuals were detained.

Previously, the Kotawaringin Timur Police had already named one suspect in a land burning case that occurred while the region was under a state of emergency for karhutla. Police are coordinating with the prosecutor's office to ensure the appropriate legal articles are applied based on the investigation's findings, employing scientific investigation methods to establish a strong legal basis for any suspect designation.

We rarely face a situation like this; in 2023, it didn't get this bad. But in 2026, it is truly extraordinary.

— MultazamThe Head of the Kotawaringin Timur Disaster Mitigation Agency describing the severity of the current land and forest fire season.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by CNN Indonesia in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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