Alleged Circumcision Malpractice in Rajapolah, Tasikmalaya: Child's Genitalia Partially Severed

A seven-year-old boy from Tasikmalaya Regency, West Java, identified as DS, has allegedly become a victim of malpractice during a circumcision procedure at a clinic in Rajapolah. The tragic incident resulted in the partial severing of the front part of the child’s genitalia, causing severe haemorrhaging. The incident, which occurred in January 2025, was only recently reported to the Tasikmalaya Regency branch of the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAID). Due to the serious injury, the victim had to be hospitalised for four months and underwent three surgical procedures. Ato Rinanto, Chairperson of KPAID Tasikmalaya Regency, confirmed receiving a complaint from the victim’s parents. The family is requesting psychological and legal support following the incident that befell their son a year ago. “The victim’s family came to KPAID to report that their child is an alleged victim of circumcision malpractice. Considering the victim will be entering primary school in 2026, he is highly vulnerable to bullying. We have sent an official letter to the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) Tasikmalaya as an evaluation of circumcision procedures on children,” Ato stated on Sunday. The victim’s mother, Tati Nurhasanah, recounted that the tragedy began when she took her son to a clinic in Rajapolah for circumcision in January 2025. However, the routine procedure ended in permanent injury. “Our child had to be hospitalised for four months due to severe injuries; half of the front part of his genitalia was severed, causing bleeding. At the hospital, my child underwent three operations on the head of the penis,” Tati explained. Tati detailed that the first two operations were performed by Doctor Galih at a hospital in Tasikmalaya City, while the third operation was conducted by Doctor Jumadi, which led to further complications. The healing process was very slow due to the significant physical damage. The family stated that the doctor who performed the circumcision had made a written agreement on stamped paper to take full responsibility for the victim’s recovery. However, this commitment was subsequently deemed unfulfilled. “This is not just negligence, but a fatal error. During the third operation, the circumcision doctor never visited. Medication was only sent via an assistant or driver, even though we hoped he would come to see our child’s progress,” Tati asserted. The family also denied rumours that they had received a large sum of money as compensation. According to Tati, the assistance provided by the doctor was only around Rp100,000 to Rp200,000, sent every two months. Although DS’s physical condition is gradually improving, the psychological impact of the incident remains profound. The family hopes that through their complaint to KPAID, concrete steps and legal justice will be pursued for the suffering endured by their son.