Hundreds of Residents in Baturiti Declare Stance on Fatal Vigilante Attack Against Chicken Thief

Hundreds of residents packed the Banjar Dinas Juwuk Legi hall in Batunya Village, Baturiti, on Tuesday (28/7/2026). The residents, drawn from four customary banjar in Batunya Village, attended a meeting aimed at aligning perceptions of the chronology of the mob beating that killed KD, a resident of Sidatapa Village, Buleleng, who was a suspected chicken thief.

The gathering was also intended to convey the customary village’s official stance after five of its residents were named as suspects.

The meeting was attended by customary leaders, village officials, the families of the suspects, and residents of Banjar Juwuk Legi, Banjar Batunya, Banjar Tamananu and Banjar Abing.

I Nyoman Wirawan, the customary village head (bendesa adat) of Banjar Dinas Juwuk Legi, explained after the meeting that the main agenda was to clarify the chronology according to residents’ version of events, quell the polemic spreading on social media, and draw up steps to accompany the legal process.

“The community accepts the legal process against the five residents who are now suspects. However, we consider that the various narratives circulating on social media and in news reports do not fully reflect the situation on the ground,” Wirawan asserted.

He stressed that his side continues to respect the ongoing legal process because a life was lost. Nevertheless, the actual chronology must also be heard by the public.

According to him, residents of Batunya Village and Baturiti District in general have long lived in anxiety because of rampant theft. He claimed KD was one of the thieves who had been troubling the community.

Wirawan said the incident happened spontaneously after residents heard the kulkul, the traditional signal for an emergency. He also claimed the victim was carrying a sharp weapon and threatened residents who tried to stop him.

Wirawan stressed that the residents’ actions were not a planned attack. According to him, the residents who came to the scene were merely responding to the community’s emergency call.

“Because the kulkul (wooden slit drum) was sounded, residents came spontaneously,” he said.

During the meeting, residents also expressed hope that the five suspects would receive leniency in sentencing. They said the suspects are the breadwinners of their families and hope the legal process can be resolved as quickly as possible.

In addition, the customary village plans to pursue mediation with the victim’s family and community figures as an effort to restore social relations after the incident that shook Batunya Village.

“We want this matter resolved well. Let the legal process run, but we hope there is room for reconciliation so that our fraternal ties remain intact,” Wirawan said.

Wirawan said representatives of the customary village also plan to visit the Tabanan Police Headquarters to request that the case be handled proportionally and to convey the chronology according to the community’s account.