Confession of the Man Who Demolished the Tomb of a Figure Alleged to be a Saint in Sidoarjo

A video of the demolition of a tomb alleged to be the grave of a wali in the Pasar Sepanjang area, Taman sub-district, Sidoarjo, has gone viral on social media and triggered public anxiety. The tomb demolisher, with initials SA, admitted that his actions were based on a bequest from his late father. He stated that the location is not a wali’s tomb as widely discussed. “I received a message from my late father before he passed away, that if this place becomes crowded with visitors later, just demolish it. Because this is not a wali’s tomb,” SA explained, as reported by detikJatim on Thursday (23/4/2026). Currently, the village office plans to gather community figures and religious leaders to discuss the issue together. The outcome of the meeting will serve as the basis for determining the next steps, including the possibility of rebuilding the tomb. To date, the status of the tomb in Pasar Sepanjang is still under investigation. The government and the Sidoarjo DPRD urge the public not to speculate before the official investigation results are announced. Member of Commission C of the Sidoarjo DPRD, Muh Zakaria Dimas Pratama, directly visited the location to conduct mediation with the demolisher, village officials, police, TNI, as well as local community and religious figures. “Yes, we’re just mediating because this has gone viral on social media. There are many comments and questions to the government regarding the demolition of what is said to be a wali’s tomb,” Dimas told reporters. Dimas emphasised that the initial step is to calm the polemic in the community, not to immediately draw conclusions. According to him, certainty about the tomb’s status still requires in-depth investigation.