JAKARTA - INDONESIAN commuters riding on the roofs of trains will be sprayed with coloured liquid so that security officers can identify and arrest them, a report said on Saturday.

Electric trains linking the Indonesian capital and its neighbouring towns are packed with passengers during rush hours, with many sitting on the roofs due to a lack of space inside or to avoid paying.

After several failed attempts to discourage roof riders over years, the state owned railway company PT Kereta Api will from next week douse them with a coloured liquid so that officers can identify them when they get off the train, the Jakarta Post said.

'We will send a copy of the ticket to their family, their local neighbourhood unit head, their employer, or, if they're students, their headmasters,' added Mr Sujadi, who described the move as 'unique'.

Although illegal, roof riding is rampant due to a lack of efficient and affordable means of transport for commuters in the greater Jakarta area. At least 53 roof riders have been killed in the past two years, the Post said. -- REUTERS

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