Family, friends, police, and hundreds of concerned community members gathered in Denpasar on Monday to pay their respects to North Kuta Police Brigadier Anak Agung Putu Sudiarta who died while on duty.
Sudiarta was killed earlier this month, on May 2, by French national Amokrane Sabet during an arrest operation that spun out of control and turned fatal. Sabet, who was wanted for violating his visa and had racked up a number of complaints in the Canggu community for his volatile and threatening behavior, resisted arrest. The French national stabbed Sudiarta eight times, before police took the ex-MMA fighter out.
From 7 am on Monday, a procession lined the streets of Setra Desa Padangsambian, Denpasar, to honor the memory of Sudiarta.
During the ceremony, the widow of the deceased, Made Ayu Larasati could not hide her profound grief and suffering from the departure of her beloved husband, local newspaper Tribun Bali observed.
“Sorry, I cannot say much while I’m grieving,” she softly told the newspaper, apparently at a loss for words.
In addition to his wife, Sudiarta is survived by their three children, ages 16, 14, and 10.
After Sudiarta’s body was cleansed and a customary Balinese procession was conducted by his family, his body was handed over for a police ceremony.
A component of the ceremony was Sudiarta’s posthumous promotion to chief brigadier for his role in arresting Sabet.
The police ceremony was lead by Bali Police’s highest ranking official, Insp. Gen. Sugeng Priyanto, before Sudiarta’s body was finally cremated.
