Human skeleton found in Central Jakarta water canal excavation, police investigation

Jakarta – Human skeletons were found in the Sawah Besar Water Canal Excavation Project, Central Jakarta (Jakpus). The human bones were discovered by workers working on a project. “What is believed to be a human skull was found by a water canal worker (Sudin SDA) in the Sawah Besar sub-district during the normalization of water canals (gutters),” Head of Penmas Bidhumas Polda Metro Jaya AKBP sub-division, Reonald Simanjuntak, told journalists on Tuesday (21/10/2025). SCROLL TO CONTINUE CONTENT Afterwards, the police went to the location of the discovery. When it was examined, a complete human skeleton was found from head to toe. “When we arrived at the location, it was true that there were human bones in the canal, believed to be from head to toe, which were found by workers from the Sawah Besar District SDA Sub-dept.,” he said. Separately, Head of Criminal Investigation Unit for Central Jakarta Metro Police, AKBP Roby Heri Saputra, added that the excavation project where the skull was found was suspected to be a former Chinese cemetery. “According to the witness in 1964 there was a Chinese tomb there. So the tentative possibility we suspect is that it is the skeleton of the Chinese tomb, an old tomb,” he said. Currently, the skeleton is being examined by the forensic medicine team. The police are still investigating. “(The skull was taken) to forensic examination to be examined first,” he added. (wnv/idn)