0 One Boy Dead as Jakarta Youths Ring In New Year With Street Fighting

A 12-year-old boy in East Jakarta died from a wound sustained in a fight that broke out between two groups of teenagers during New Year’s celebrations early on Tuesday. The boy, identified as M. Rafik, from the Pisangan area of Cakung subdistrict, sustained a fatal slash wound to his back. He was taken to the Jakarta Islamic Hospital in Pondok Kopi, but died from massive blood loss. “[Rafik] was admitted to the hospital at around 1:10 a.m. [Tuesday]. He died 15 minutes later,” a hospital official named Erwin told Suara Pembaruan. 

There were at least three fights in Jakarta during New Year’s festivities, including the one in Cakung. All three incidents took place in East Jakarta, the biggest municipality in the capital. In Jatinegara, a man named Sumarno, 33, was treated at the nearby Budi Asih Hospital after his left hand was severely cut while trying to stop a fight between two groups of teenagers. According to one witness, Sumarno tried to apprehend one youth involved in the fight but his friends attacked Sumarno in a bid to free their friend. 

“Friends of the apprehended fighter swung a machete at [Sumarno],” said the witness, identified as Lucky. “[Sumarno] tried to catch the machete using his [bare] left hand and he was injured.” The witness said he did not know what caused the clash in Jatinegara. “All of the sudden they started throwing rocks at each other,” Lucky said. “Some of them had sharp weapons.” The fight lasted about 10 minutes and stopped after police officers arrived on scene. Fighting between groups of teenagers was also reported in front of the Gembrong Market in Cipinang. 

No deaths or injuries were reported in that skirmish. The violent incidents followed another teenager’s fighting-related death over the weekend. On Sunday, Jumari, 18, from Pondok Aren, on the outskirts of Jakarta, died when two groups of teenagers clashed at around 3:30 p.m. “The victim had a stab wound on the left side of his back sustained when he was trying to stop the fight,” said Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto. The police officer said a man identified as Raspul Hardiansyah, 22, also fell victim in the clash as he tried to rescue Jumari. “[Raspul] was slashed in his right arm and the right side of his back. 

Right now, he is being treated at the Aminal Hospital in Kreo Ciledug,” Rikwanto said. He added that Raspul will be transferred to a better hospital once he’s stabilized. “[Raspul] was attacked as he was about to help the first victim [Jumari], but instead he was also attacked by the perpetrators,” the police officer said. Rikwanto said police are still investigating the three New Year’s fights. He added that a machete had been confiscated by police investigating the incident in Jatinegara. “We are still investigating [the case] and tracking down the perpetrators,” he said. “For the time being, a number of witnesses are being questioned.”

source : the jakarta globe