JAKARTA, March 18 (Bernama) -- Three Indonesian police officers have been killed in a raid on an illegal cockfighting gambling site in Way Kanan district, Lampung province, on the southern tip of Sumatra Island.

The officers were shot by an unidentified gunman on Monday evening while they were at the venue in Karang Manik village, Negara Batin sub-district.

All three suffered fatal gunshot wounds to the head, according to a police statement.

They have been identified as Negara Batin Police Chief Inspector Lusiyanto and Chief Brigadier Petrus Apriyanto and Brigadier Two Ghalib Surya Ganta from the Way Kanan Police Criminal Investigation Unit.

Lampung Police spokesperson Commissioner Yuni Iswandari said a 17-member team from Way Kanan Police, which included officers from Negara Batin Police, had been dispatched following reports of illegal gambling activity.

“At the scene, they came under fire from an unidentified assailant. Three officers were killed in the line of duty,” she said, adding that the bodies were taken to Lampung Police Hospital for post-mortem.

Senior officers from Lampung Police arrived at the scene as authorities ramped up efforts to investigate and apprehend those responsible, Yuni added.

Cockfighting remains widespread in parts of Indonesia, often linked to underground gambling networks with law enforcement agencies frequently conducting raids to curb these operations.

Indonesia has strict gambling laws, with Article 303 of the Criminal Code imposing severe penalties on those involved in organising or participating in such activities.