Brawling hits Bali

DENPASAR, Bali: Dozens of students were injured, one seriously, in a brawl involving students from several schools on Monday, police said yesterday.

The rumble, which local educators said was the first of its kind on the island, involved high school students from Denpasar and Singaraja.

Police in Tabanan said the brawl broke out at a graduation celebration near Beratan Lake in Tabanan. Hundreds of students from both schools had gone to the lake to party. The police were uncertain who started the fight.

One student had his car vandalized while trapped inside during the fight.

Educators, government officials and the public all expressed their concern.

"In the future, it would be better to celebrate graduating inside school complexes. I know in a case like this teachers cannot supervise their students," said A.A. Bagus Gede Netera, the spokesman for the Bali education department.

A Gianyar education official suggested students celebrate by holding a mass prayer at school. (23/pan)