15-year-old boy dies in Manggarai brawl

JAKARTA (JP): A student was killed on Saturday afternoon during a vicious brawl in the Manggarai tunnel of South Jakarta, a police detective said. The brawl was between students of Karya Guna Senior Secondary Technical School in Manggarai subdistrict, South Jakarta, and SMU 1 Budi Utomo High School of Central Jakarta, he said.

South Jakarta Police chief of detectives Capt. Rycko Amelza Daniel said on Saturday night that the Karya Guna student, identified as Cepi, 15, died from stab wounds.

"The wounds were especially serious on the head and back," Rycko told The Jakarta Post on Saturday night.

He added that following the brawl, which began at about 2 p.m., a student who had a machete in his hand, was detained and questioned.

"I can't tell you his name. He did not kill the boy though. But he knows who did. The killer graduated from Budi Utomo High School, and is known among friends as Ambon. We'll get him soon," Rycko said.

Separately, two quarreling groups of residents in the Manggarai subdistrict pledged on Sunday last week to stop their prolonged feud which claimed three lives last year.

Witnessed by Tebet district head Rama Parjawinata and Tebet Police chief Maj. Asli Manau, the residents issued a joint "peace-deal" statement during a gathering at the Manggarai Selatan soccer field.

"We agree to avoid personal and group interests which have so far ignited the brawls," said the statement, which was read in turn by Choki and Ujang, two youths from the groups. (ylt)