Joking Papua lawmaker killed by angry mob

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PAPUA, Indonesia, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- Voters beat a local Indonesian lawmaker to death in Papua after he made a political joke during an election to name a new governor, officials said.

Husia Yosia Karoba, a member of the Tolikara Legislative Council, was attacked by supporters of two other candidates just after he had cast his ballot Tuesday, The Jakarta Post reported Wednesday.

The crowd became angry after Karoba announced he had voted for another set of candidates and mobbed him, said deputy police chief Brig. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw.

Karoba died before he arrived at a hospital.

Extreme divisions between the six candidates contesting for the post marked the gubernatorial campaign.

Aside from Karoba's death, and blank ballots that were destroyed when the ship carrying them to the voting stations caught fire, a police spokesman said the election in Papua had proceeded without incident.