Pesantren Student Dies in Wonogiri After Alleged Assault by Classmate

An 11-year-old Islamic boarding school student identified by the initials DRP has died in Wonogiri, Central Java, in a suspected case of violence at a pesantren in Geneng Village, Bulukerto District.

The victim’s parents, who had been working away from home, grew suspicious about the circumstances of their child’s death and requested an exhumation.

Police investigations subsequently uncovered evidence of violence linked to the death. Authorities have designated another 11-year-old student, identified by the initial R, as a child in conflict with the law.

“From our series of investigations, we have now designated one child as the perpetrator, with the initial R, aged 11,” said Wonogiri Police Criminal Investigation Unit Chief Inspector Agung Sedewo, speaking to reporters at Wonogiri Police Headquarters on Wednesday, 18 February.

“Article 80 paragraph 3 of Law No. 35 of 2019, or Article 468 paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code in conjunction with Law No. 11 of 2012 on Child Protection, carries a sentence of rehabilitation for those under 12 years of age,” he explained regarding the applicable charges.

Based on preliminary examinations, the victim and the alleged perpetrator had initially been joking around. However, the banter escalated into mutual taunting, leading to a fight in the classroom on Saturday, 14 February.

This account was corroborated by testimony from three classmates who witnessed the incident. No teacher was present in the classroom at the time, meaning only fellow students witnessed the altercation.

“They fought, and there were several acts of violence that caused quite fatal injuries. The victim was slammed to the ground, then choked. It happened in the classroom on Saturday. The issue was teasing — it started with matchmaking jokes about a friend, and the victim took offence,” said Agung.

Following the incident, the victim complained of dizziness and pain at the back of his head to his friends. He also vomited several times at the ablution area and bathroom.

As the victim’s condition deteriorated, boarding school staff took him to the nearest clinic. However, he did not survive.

“He was taken to a health facility but died en route. By the time they arrived at the hospital, he was already gone,” Agung said.

Police and a medical team carried out an exhumation of the victim’s remains on Tuesday, 17 February. The exhumation followed a police report filed by the victim’s parents on Sunday, 15 February, one day after the death.

The report was made after the victim’s father, returning from working away, received information that the condition of his son’s body prior to burial appeared abnormal.

“According to the family’s account, the victim was buried on Saturday evening by family agreement. However, when the victim’s father arrived from out of town on Sunday morning, he received information that before burial, the body had been bleeding from the nose and mouth, and there were bloodstains on the coffin,” said Wonogiri Police Public Relations Chief Commissioner Anom Prabowo in a press statement the previous Tuesday.

Feeling that matters needed to be clarified, the family reported the incident to police. Anom said the investigation was being conducted jointly by Wonogiri Police and Bulukerto Sector Police to establish the cause of death clearly and on the basis of legal evidence.

Police then carried out the exhumation at Conto Village, Bulukerto District.

The exhumation involved the Central Java Regional Police Inafis (Indonesia Automatic Fingerprint Identification System) Team, the Wonogiri Police Inafis Team, and a forensic medical team from Bhayangkara Hospital, Central Java Regional Police, led by Dr Dian Novitasari. Also present were representatives of the Bulukerto sub-district leadership forum, village administration, and local health workers.

Anom stated that police would conduct the investigation professionally, transparently, and based on legitimate evidence.

“We urge the public to remain calm and refrain from speculation. Please trust the process to the police. Developments in the investigation will be communicated officially,” he said.