Police Investigate Brutal Assault on Two Youths in Keparakan, Jogja
Two young men who were victims of a mob attack on Jalan Ireda, Keparakan, Mergangsan, Yogyakarta, have reported the incident to the police. The perpetrators of the brutal assault are still being pursued.
The Head of Public Relations for the Yogyakarta City Police, Iptu Dani Hasan, stated that both victims reported the crime to the Mergangsan Police on Saturday (11/7) at around 10:00 WIB, accompanied by their parents. The victims were identified as AN, a 17-year-old male from Mergangsan, and NR, a 19-year-old male from Gondomanan. Dani confirmed that the suspected perpetrators are still under investigation.
According to preliminary police findings, the alleged assault occurred on Thursday morning (9/7) on Jalan Ireda Kidul, Keparakan, Mergangsan, directly opposite the Wisma Eyang Sosro. A group of five individuals arrived from the north on three automatic scooters. They then paired up with two people riding pillion on a motorcycle coming from the south. The group subsequently attacked the motorcyclists, punching, kicking, and striking them with a bamboo pole.
The incident gained widespread attention after CCTV footage of the brutal attack circulated on social media. The video, uploaded by the Instagram account @merapi_uncover, shows a group of youths assaulting two others. One victim was seen being beaten by two to three people, while the other was dragged before being repeatedly struck with a long piece of wood. A caption accompanying the post claimed the incident occurred around 3:00 AM and suggested the victims were wrongly targeted, asserting the attackers were not local residents. The post also mentioned a desire to settle the matter through a family meeting before escalating it to a formal case if there was no resolution within a week.
A local street food vendor named Vander, whose stall is located near the scene, said he was unaware of the actual assault but witnessed a prior confrontation between two groups of youths. He recounted seeing a group riding along Jalan Kolonel Sugiyono from west to east, while two people on a single motorcycle sped north up Jalan Ireda. At the same time, other youths were gathered at a nearby food stall. Vander stated that after hearing shouts, possibly urging a chase, he decided to close his stall and go home, only later learning about the violent attack that followed.