Alleged Santri Burning Case in Central Lombok: LPA Reveals Perpetrator Was Senior Student, BPJS Funding Issue Arises

An incident involving the alleged burning of students at an Islamic boarding school in West Nusa Tenggara is under investigation by the Central Lombok Police. The case resulted in the death of one student, Sahril Sobirin, who suffered burns to 60 to 70 per cent of his body and passed away in February 2026 after a week of treatment at Praya Regional General Hospital. Two other victims sustained serious injuries: Ahmad Deven Ramadhan suffered 30 to 40 per cent burns and required surgery, while Sahid Al Hudri sustained 20 to 30 per cent burns. Another student, Moh. Reyhan, was reportedly unharmed, and Yusuf Sapi’i suffered only minor injuries to his feet.

Preliminary findings from the Mataram City Child Protection Agency (LPA) suggest the two severely injured victims were doused with petrol before being set alight by another student. LPA Mataram City Chairman Joko Sumadi stated that the three victims were in the seventh grade at the madrasah tsanawiyah level, while the suspected perpetrator was a senior student in the eighth grade. The suspect has reportedly been expelled from the boarding school.

Public discussion has centred on whether the incident involved bullying or was a result of negligence. Joko Sumadi noted that the perpetrator’s family initially provided a total of 15 million rupiah in compensation to the three victims. He added that medical expenses were initially covered by the national health insurer BPJS, but the agency later declared the case was not its responsibility after it went viral, leaving the question of future medical costs unresolved.