Alleged Heartbreak Drives Tasikmalaya Youth to Attempt Suicide

A 22-year-old man, identified by the initials MSH, a resident of Desa Gunungsari, Sukaratu Subdistrict, Tasikmalaya Regency, West Java, was found collapsed by the roadside of Kampung Rancakukun, Cipari Village, Mangkubumi Subdistrict, Tasikmalaya City on Sunday afternoon (8 March 2026). He was wearing a white sweater and black jeans and lay beside his black automatic motorcycle, which had fallen to the roadside, alarming nearby residents.

Residents initially believed he had faded from the heat of fasting, but it later emerged that he had consumed coffee believed to be mixed with rat poison following a breakup with his former girlfriend.

Robi Sopian, 35, a Cimuncang resident and eyewitness, said: “We found a young man lying on the roadside next to a black automatic motorcycle in front of the Merah Putih Cooperative building, which was under construction. I called others nearby to look at the incident because we were afraid something might happen.” He added that police who arrived at the scene approached the victim, and from the young man’s confession he had drunk coffee mixed with rat poison due to the breakup with his girlfriend. After obtaining the confession, officers helped load his motorcycle into the police car, and the victim was taken to Carmel Medika clinic.

“Because of the heartbreak with his girlfriend, perhaps the youth intended to end his life, but fortunately the authorities arrived at the scene and took him to the nearest clinic,” he said.

Kanit Pamapta of Tasikmalaya City Police, Ipda Jonih Jonansa, said the police had received reports from residents that a youth lay collapsed by the roadside and that officers brought him to a clinic. Lacking complete equipment, he was referred to RSUD Dr Soekardjo in Tasikmalaya City. “Based on the on-duty doctor’s report, the victim was poisoned, but less than six hours had passed since ingestion, and the poison had not yet spread through the body. The victim was conscious, and according to him, he drank coffee mixed with rat poison to attempt suicide due to heartbreak, and he was handed over to his family,” he concluded. (AD)