Origins of a man’s death after being beaten at a West Jakarta billiards hall; girlfriend punched following a stare

JAKARTA — The beating that left 28-year-old Diko Milandika dead at a billiards venue in Grogol Petamburan, West Jakarta, appears to have stemmed from a petty grievance. West Jakarta Police Public Relations Head AKP Wisnu Wirawan said the row began with an incident of mutual eyeing between Diko’s girlfriend and another female patron. ‘It started when the victim went to pick up his girlfriend; they and friends were playing on the second floor. While the victim and his companion were playing, they were watched by a woman,’ Wisnu told Kompas.com by phone on Tuesday (19 May 2026). According to the survivor’s girlfriend, the confrontation erupted around 02:00–02:30 local time when a woman who felt affronted by being stared at confronted them. ‘So the incident was that Diko’s girlfriend looked at another woman. The woman did not approve of being looked at by Diko’s girlfriend. After that, Diko’s girlfriend approached and asked, “What are you looking at?”’ Mita told Kompas.com at her home on Tuesday. ‘Then Diko’s girlfriend said, “No, I’m not looking.” Suddenly the other woman punched her in the nose,’ Mita added. Seeing his girlfriend’s nose bleeding from the blow, Diko attempted to defend her and asked for the reason behind the assault. Mita said that, according to CCTV footage and amateur recordings from other patrons, at least 15 people took part in the assault on Diko. ‘He was punched; CCTV is everywhere, after all. The people involved were about 15 in number. The information is that they did not know each other at all—the attackers and the victim’s friends did not know one another,’ Mita said. However, to date the family has not been able to confirm whether Diko was deliberately pushed or simply fell as a result of pushing during the beating. ‘We don’t know whether he fell because he was shoved, or if it was deliberate, or what; I also don’t know exactly. The bottom line is that he did fall,’ Mita said.