Disabled Student in Gresik Allegedly Burned with Iron by Junior

A student with a speech disability at an Islamic boarding school in Dukun District, Gresik Regency, East Java, identified as MO (17), has allegedly become a victim of bullying and violence by a fellow student. The victim sustained burn injuries to his back and hands caused by a hot clothes iron.

A representative of the victim’s family, Suyadi, stated that the violence came to light when the victim’s mother visited him at the boarding school in mid-September 2026. During the visit, the mother accidentally noticed burn marks on the child’s hand. Suspecting something was wrong, the family asked the victim to remove his shirt, only to be shocked to find further burns on MO’s back.

“There are two serious wounds on the hands and back caused by an iron,” said Suyadi on Tuesday (29/9).

The father had also expressed suspicion after noticing unusual marks on the victim’s body previously. However, at that time, the victim continued to deny the incidents and cover up the perpetrator’s actions. Prior to the iron burns, cigarette burn marks were also discovered on several parts of the victim’s body. After being repeatedly urged, the victim finally found the courage to recount the suffering he had endured to his mother.

Suyadi identified the perpetrator as MR (15), a junior to the victim at the boarding school. When questioned about his actions, the perpetrator claimed he was merely checking the temperature of the iron he intended to use. “His excuse was that he was testing whether the iron was hot or not,” he added.

The bullying and violence allegedly did not occur as a single incident. The perpetrator is suspected of frequently bullying the victim and forcing him to wash his clothes. If the victim failed to comply, MR would often resort to violence by burning the victim’s hands with cigarettes, culminating in the hot iron incident.

Suyadi noted that while the family was initially shocked and angry upon learning what had happened, they ultimately chose to settle the matter gracefully following a meeting with the boarding school management, deciding not to pursue legal action. “The victim’s condition has now improved, and the perpetrator has admitted to his actions,” he said.

Suyadi explained that the family is willing to resolve the matter through mediation, provided that the alleged perpetrator bears all medical costs until the victim has fully recovered. However, the victim is currently suffering from severe trauma and is unwilling to return to the boarding school environment. “The child is traumatised and does not want to go to the pondok, as long as he can sit for his exams to graduate. That is the family’s request, so there are no further legal demands,” he said.

The case of physical abuse triggered a public reaction after photos of the victim’s burns circulated widely on social media. Officers from the Dukun Police Station immediately intervened and visited the victim’s home to verify the information.

The Head of Criminal Investigation at Dukun Police Station, Aiptu Moh Maksum, stated that the family remains adamant about not bringing the torture case into the criminal justice system. “It is being resolved through family mediation; both parties do not wish to pursue legal channels,” said Maksum.