Sultan HB X Forms Team to Identify Causes Behind Murder Near SMAN 3 Jogja
Governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY), Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X (HB X), has established a special team in the wake of a murder case near SMAN 3 Jogja. The team is tasked with identifying the root causes of street violence that has resurfaced in Jogja.
‘Well, at the moment, we are conducting identification, because for months there had been no klitih. Why has it happened again? We don’t know exactly—whether it’s the economic conditions or just ordinary mischief, we don’t know. We are trying to identify it,’ Sultan said when met at the Kepatihan Complex in Jogja City, on Thursday (21/5/2026).
Sultan said he wants to understand more deeply why street violence like the incident near SMAN 3 Jogja has reoccurred. Such cases were said to have disappeared for a while.
‘What we did previously was to have residents guard to help maintain security in their communities. But now it has appeared again; what is the motive, we need to know that, to delve into it first, but there isn’t a report from the team yet,’ he added.
Sultan admitted he could not comment further on this case yet. However, he will decide steps once the identification results are known.
‘We have formed a team; the team is working to identify, but it is not that simple. Not just with the police, but also with the environment, the community, and what may be happening, what exactly is going on,’ he said.
‘Is it ordinary mischief, or are the seniors the ones who mentor it? We don’t know all of that; we must not get it wrong,’ Sultan concluded.
Earlier, the murder occurred near SMAN 3 Jogja or around Kridosono Stadium, Jogja City. In the incident, one person died after being assaulted with a sharp weapon by the perpetrators.
The victim was a youth with initials AA (18). The incident occurred on Sunday (17/5) early in the morning. The victim is suspected to have died from being beaten following taunts between gangs.
In this case, three people were arrested and three others on the run. The three who were detained were arrested at a safe house in Cilacap.
The Jogja City Police Chief, Kombes Eva Guna Pandia, stressed that the incident was not klitih.
‘We reiterate that this was not klitih or street crime,’ Pandia told reporters at Mapolresta Jogja, on Monday (18/5/2026).
‘So it wasn’t klitih. It started with taunts between two gangs. Taunts between two gangs led to the incident in the early hours where someone died,’ she asserted.
Case of the Death of a Bantul Student Up to Gladiator Duel
Prior to this case, there were two other cases related to gangs in DIY that drew attention. First, the death of a student in Bantul and gladiator duel as a condition for leaving a gang.
Ilham Dwi Saputra (16) from Pandak, Bantul, was eventually identified. Seven perpetrators turned out to have murdered Ilham due to gang revenge motives.
It was learned that Ilham was assaulted on Tuesday (14/4) night. Ilham had to undergo intensive care due to injuries, and was pronounced dead five days later.
Police then arrested eight people in stages. The seven suspects were BLP (18) from Kretek, Bantul; YP (21) from Bambanglipuro, Bantul; JMA (23) from Pakualaman, Jogja; and RAR (19) from Bantul. Then AS (21) from Piyungan, Bantul; ASJ (19) from Kasihan, Bantul; AIF from Bambanglipuro; and SGJ (19) from Mantrijeron, Jogja.
Ilham was brutally tortured to vent revenge due to gang clashes. The victim was taunted via social media until finally killed.
‘The motive was revenge. So there indeed were previous disputes,’ Bantul Police Chief AKBP Bayu Puji Hariyanto told reporters at Bantul Police, on Tuesday (28/4/2026).
‘JMA also stabbed the victim 14 times using scissors prepared from home,’ he said.
Earlier, residents were alarmed by two youths who suffered stab wounds. The two were forced into gladiator duels as a condition for leaving the gang.
A bloody duel between two groups of students occurred in Pakualaman, Jogja City, on Wednesday (25/3) early morning. As a result, two people sustained stab wounds.
Public Relations Officer of Polresta Jogja, IPDA Anton Budi Susilo, said the case came to light after two victims AP (18) and RA (17) were taken to Pratama Hospital with stab wounds on Wednesday (25/3).
From there, information emerged that they were victims of gladiator acts or duels between groups. Gladiator acts are a condition for leaving a gang.
‘According to AP’s statement, RA and MR (a witness) who were suspected of being in the Vascal gang and the two people wanted to leave the gang, but Vascal members do not allow leaving the gang until a fixed or gladiator act (duel) occurs,’ Anton explained when contacted on Thursday (26/3/2026).
As a result of the clashes, AP and RA sustained serious injuries. AP sustained stab wounds to the left shoulder, both arms, and the right thumb, and was treated at Wirosaban Hospital.
Meanwhile, RA sustained stab wounds to the left side of the chest that pierced the lung and was treated at Pratama Hospital. However, due to the severity of his injuries, RA was referred to Bethesda Hospital in Yogyakarta.