Ninth student dies in street brawls

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)