Street brawls claim another student's life

JAKARTA (JP): The death toll of students killed during street brawls in the city this year has risen to 10 following the death of a 16-year-old student.

The victim, Idris Suryadi, a first year student of a state-run technical high school, STM 7, was stabbed by a group of students from a rival school on Monday afternoon.

He died early yesterday morning at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital after being treated for dozens of stabs wounds.

Forensic experts at the hospital believe that pocket knives were used to stab the teenager in the back.

Idris was believed to have been attacked from behind while attempting to flee the student mob at Harmoni intersection in Central Jakarta, his teacher, Haryanto, quoted witnesses as saying.

The teacher alleged that Idris was stabbed by students of STM Budi Utomo, a privately owned technical high school located on Jl. Budi Utomo.

The brawl at Harmoni, identified as one of the black spots in the city for student brawls, started about 1 p.m. when Idris and other students of STM 7, located on nearby Jl. Kerajinan, were on their way home.

"At the intersection, their bus apparently overtook another bus, which was packed with STM Budi Utomo's students," Haryanto said.

Idris and his friends started to panic when their bus was pelted with stones allegedly thrown by the rival students.

Seconds later, one of Idris' friends alerted the others that the rival students were getting off their bus and running toward them.

Eka, one of Idris' classmates, said they decided to get off the bus, and confront the attackers, for the sake of other passengers and the public bus.

"Besides, we don't want to be called cowards by the attackers if we attempt to avoid them."

But he said they turned and ran when they realized that their rivals had sharp weapons in their hands.

Idris was left behind when the other students fled.

"He was caught and I saw one of them hold up his shirt while two others stabbed their knives into his back."

Eka said there were lots of people on the street but they only shouted at the students, telling them to stop brawling. (04)