Slowly, the identity of the man believed to have set himself on fire in front of the Presidential Palace on Wednesday is being revealed.

Haris Azhar, chairman of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), said based on an initial description, the man could be Sondang Hutagalung, a Bung Karno University student who was an active supporter of the rights group.

“According to [Sondang’s] girlfriend and his family, his teeth and army-type shoes are identical to the victim’s,” Haris said, adding that Sondang’s family had gone to the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM), where the man is being treated.

“The hospital still wouldn’t allow [the man] to be visited by anyone. We can’t confirm anything yet because the man is badly burned,” Haris said.

Chrisbiantoro, a Kontras staff member, said that Sondang had an uneven set of teeth and a birthmark on his foot, and that he is known for wearing the same shoes everywhere.

“The shoes were gifts from [Sondang’s] siblings,” he said.

Haris also said that for two months, Kontras and Sondang’s family had lost contact with the student. Prior to incident, Haris said, Sondang left his cellphone with his girlfriend.

“[Sondang] met with his girlfriend. But she said she doesn’t know what he was up to,” the Kontras chairman said.

Sondang, he continued, had participated in a number of Kontras rallies and was a member of Munir’s Friends, which advocates for investigation into the death of renowned rights activist Munir Said Thalib.

“He has a student organization called Hamurabi. He likes to hang out at the Kontras office because there is training here,” Haris said.

“He is quite active in Kontras rallies and has been performing in theatrical demonstrations.”

Chris said Sondang had showed no signs of wanting to end his life. “[Sondang’s] family said he was not in any kind of trouble, but he has been rambling about doing something good for others,” the activist said.

Separately, RSCM director Akmal Taher said doctors have drawn a DNA test sample from the victim, but DNA from Sondang’s family has not been extracted.

Akmal said that since the incident, the man has been put under intensive care at the hospital, but his chances of survival are slim.

“He has burns on 98 percent of his body. It is unlikely he will live,” he said.