Padang Student Brought Homemade Bomb to School After Being Bullied, Inspired by Jakarta Case
Police have revealed that a 17-year-old student with the initial R brought a homemade bomb to Madrasah Aliyah Negeri (MAN) 3 Padang, West Sumatra, after frequently being bullied by his peers. The Head of Public Relations for the West Sumatra Regional Police, Grand Commissioner Susmelawati Rosya, stated that the student suffered from deep psychological issues as a result of the bullying. “He felt he was often the object of bullying by his friends, which led to this action,” Rosya told reporters on Tuesday (14/7/2026).
Authorities are currently focusing on the student’s psychological recovery. R has been taken to the Padang Police headquarters for further investigation. “We are focusing on the child’s recovery, as this act was not part of any network as we might have initially thought. We are securing him while the investigation continues to prevent further psychological harm,” she explained.
Spokesperson for the National Police’s Densus 88 Anti-terror unit, Grand Commissioner Mayndra Eka, said the suspect admitted to learning how to assemble explosives online and was inspired by a similar incident at SMAN 72 Jakarta in 2025. “The suspect confessed to studying the making of explosive devices via the internet and was inspired by the bomb incident at a high school in Jakarta in 2025,” Mayndra said.
Initial investigations indicate the device was assembled independently using materials purchased online and made at his home without his parents’ knowledge. The suspect also admitted to joining several online groups that discussed the production of explosives. Law enforcement officials are still verifying and investigating these claims.
The explosion occurred on Tuesday (14/7) at MAN 3, located in Balai Gadang Village, Koto Tangah District, Padang City. The device detonated once beside a classroom, causing no casualties. The suspected homemade bomb was first discovered by a school security officer, who immediately reported the incident to the police. During the initial search, officers secured a black box, a black bag, a mobile phone, firecrackers, a knife, arrows, marbles, bolts, and several other items. Police traced the items back to the student, R. The identities of the intended targets, based on the suspect’s statements, still require further investigation. No fatalities occurred, and both the suspect and the evidence have been taken into custody by the West Sumatra Regional Police and Densus 88 for further questioning of witnesses.