Police Confirm Viral 'Pocong' Hoax in Grobogan, Central Java

The video was among those shared on the Facebook group Info Juwangi Sendangharjo Karangrayung. A group member asked about the video’s authenticity: ‘Sorry, my wife shared information – is it true there was an incident involving a pocong thief in Karangsono Village?’ The post included WhatsApp screenshots in Javanese about a sharp-weapon-wielding pocong terrorising Karangsono, along with a video of a suspected pocong ghost tapping on a house window, with unclear time and location. Additionally, the Instagram account @infogrobogan.id posted two WhatsApp status screenshots about an unknown-location pocong ghost terror. Meanwhile, Acting Head of Public Relations for Grobogan Police Residency, Ipda Arif Suryanto, stated the posts were hoaxes. ‘Hoax. The Karangsono mentioned in the post refers to the Karangsono Station area within Suru Village, Geyer District, Grobogan Regency,’ Arif said when confirmed on Sunday (24/5/2026). Arif said his team had conducted social media patrols, finding similar videos posted on various platforms with different locations. ‘Following investigations into identical videos posted across multiple social media platforms, some were also reported in Magelang,’ Arif added. ‘It is likely that several accounts reused the same video, altering only the location captions,’ he continued. Arif said irresponsible individuals were using pocong ghost posts to gain personal benefits and scare Grobogan residents. Arif added that the police are countering the pocong terror rumours in Grobogan via Bhabinkamtibmas (community police officers), who are actively educating residents to prevent panic. ‘Bhabinkamtibmas officers are urging the public not to panic or be alarmed by the circulating pocong ghost rumours,’ Arif concluded.