Society

Man Arrested After Student Injured by Rope Strung Across Road

Jul 09 (News On Japan) - A part-time worker has been arrested in connection with an attempted murder incident in Habikino, Osaka Prefecture, where a rope was strung across a road, causing a university student to crash and suffer injuries. Surveillance footage captured the entire act.

The footage, recorded in a residential area of Habikino, shows a man appearing from the right side of the screen around 8:30 p.m. He picks something up from the ground and ties it to a roadside fence. A closer look reveals a rope stretched across the road. About 30 seconds after the man leaves the scene, the incident occurs.

A loud crash is followed by the victim's voice: "Ouch!"

The incident happened in May this year. A 20-year-old male university student was cycling when he struck the rope stretched across the road, causing him to fall and hit the back of his head.

The rope, made of 6-millimeter nylon, had originally been tied to a pole in a parking area adjacent to the road. More footage obtained by Yomiuri TV shows a man emerging from a parking lot in the background. He attempts to tie the rope to a fence, but seemingly notices someone approaching from the left and momentarily walks away. After a cyclist passes, the man returns, picks up the rope again, and secures it across the road at a height of around 70 centimeters.

Roughly 30 seconds later, the same loud crash is heard.

The rope caught on the front basket of the student’s bicycle, causing him to strike his head and other parts of his body. Although the student was able to stand and return home on his own, the rope remained in place for about five minutes until drivers attempting to pass removed it.

Following a police investigation, Yuki Matsumi, a 23-year-old part-time worker from Fujiidera City, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and obstruction of traffic. Matsumi has denied the allegations, telling police, "I did not intend to kill."

Police believe Matsumi had no prior relationship with the victim and are continuing to investigate his motive and why he chose that specific location.

Source: YOMIURI

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