Ninth student dies in street brawls

JAKARTA (JP): The 1997 death toll from school street brawls rose to nine yesterday afternoon when another senior high school student was killed.

Ade Rukmana, 17, a student of privately run STM Bahariwan technical school in North Jakarta, was attacked and fatally stabbed in the chest.

His alleged attackers were a group of students from the state- owned SMA 15 senior high school in Pademangan, also in North Jakarta.

North Jakarta Police arrested two students to assist them with their enquiries.

City Police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said yesterday the two students -- identified as Ade Mustika, 18, and Ade Muryana, 16 -- were being questioned about their involvement in the brawl.

"The two students are still considered witnesses," Aritonang said. "If we can collect sufficient evidence which proves their involvement in the stabbing they could later be named suspects."

Police were still searching for the sharp weapon used to stab the teenager.

"Maybe it's already been thrown away by the alleged suspect," he said.

Ade Rukmana was attack on Jl. Danau Agung Utara in Pademangan, North Jakarta, about 1 p.m. yesterday.

Two SMA 15 students, riding on a motorcycle, stopped in front of the U27 Kopaja minibus which serves the Senen-Kelapa Gading route.

Their classmates, who were already near the bus, were looking for STM Bahariwan students.

Eyewitnesses said that some STM students managed to jump out of the vehicle and run in different directions.

However, Ade Rukmana was left behind and he was stabbed in the chest.

Passersby rushed the teenager to Medika Griya hospital, which was located across the street. But Ade died in hospital a few minutes later.

Dozens of his classmates said that the attack by SMA 15 students may have been premeditated.

The attackers, for example, knew that STM students always used the bus to go to school.

However, none of the students knew of any reason for the attack. They said their school had never been involved in street brawls.

Officers from the Tanjung Priok subprecinct are still searching for suspects.

Victims

Ade Rukmana was the first victim of student brawling this month but he was the ninth student killed in fights this year.

The last victim, 17-year-old Mujiono, was also an STM Bahariwan student.

Students from another high school fatally stabbed Mujiono in the chest while he was boarding a bus from school.

Police data shows that three students died in June, two in July and three in August.

Most of the nine victims were stabbed during attacks by other students on public transportation or on the street.

The three fatalities last month were all from private technical high schools or STMs -- Madinah, 18, of STM Panti Karya in Depok, was stabbed to death in a minibus on his way home; Irwanto, 16, of STM Ristek in Cakung, East Jakarta was mobbed and killed on the street; and Mujiono.

During 1996, students from 45 STMs, 23 senior high schools and two junior high schools were involved in more than 150 student brawls, according to police records.

At least 19 students were killed and more than 100 injured in street brawls last year. (cst)