Two die, three injured in brawl at discotheque

Two die, three injured in brawl at discotheque

JAKARTA (JP): Two people died and three others were seriously
injured early on Sunday morning after dozens of people armed with
machetes attacked MW Istana Dangdut discotheque on Jl. Pangeran
Tubagus Angke, Pesing, West Jakarta.

Agus Suratman, 29, from nearby Tambora, and Halim Murtadho,
18, a parking attendant at the discotheque, were stabbed to death
during the attack, believed to have been carried out by a gang of
people from Surabaya.

Mun'im Idris, a forensic expert at Cipto Mangunkusumo General
Hospital (RSCM), confirmed that the two men died from deep head
wounds.

The three injured men were Supandi, 33, from Tanah Sereal;
Mistam, a discotheque staffer, and Rudy Valentino Arief, 33, an
ojek (motorcycle taxi) driver.

Supandi and Mistam were admitted to nearby Sumber Waras
Hospital, while Valentino, who suffered serious head wounds, was
rushed to the Cipto's emergency unit.

Pance, a local resident, said the dispute started on Saturday.

"The attack was a matter of revenge. Some people, believed to
be Makassarese, stabbed a member of a rival group, Dahlan, to
death at nearby Ratu Ayu discotheque early on Saturday," he said
at the Cipto on Sunday.

Mamat, a senior member of staff at MW Istana Dangdut
discotheque, said Dahlan's death had angered his fellow gang
members, mostly from Surabaya, East Java.

"Dozens of members of the group, who live in Muara Angke, then
looked for all the Makassarese at the Ratu Ayu Discotheque for
revenge," he said at Sumber Waras Hospital on Sunday.

Makassarese are in charge of parking at the Ratu Discotheque,
he said.

Mamat, victim Mistam's uncle, said the mob moved to MW Istana
Dangdut Discotheque after they failed to find any Makassarese,
since the Ratu Ayu Discotheque closed at around 1 a.m.

"The mob looked for other Makassarese people at MW
discotheque. Upon arriving at the discotheque, they wildly
attacked customers there," he said, adding that the mob also
smashed bottles and damaged furniture in the three-story
building.

Muhammad Sadli, a local resident, said the mob had arrived in
two trucks.

Twenty-four-year-old Mistam, who suffered 11 stab wounds, said
he regularly cleaned the discotheque early on Sunday.

It appears the people ran amok after they failed to find their
enemies, said Mistam.

"The situation was calm at the beginning. But suddenly the mob
ran amok on the second floor. They also ran down to the first
floor where I was doing my job, and stabbed everyone inside," he
said at Sumber Waras Hospital.

Mistam ran out of the building but tripped over outside the
building.

"Four people tried to slash my head, but I covered it with my
right hand. It was only after I shouted that I was Javanese that
they halted their violent actions," said Mistam, whose right hand
was covered in a thick bandage.

Supandi was allowed home after treatment at the hospital.

Mamat said a similar rampage occurred at the MW discotheque
last year.

"I forgot the precise date, but the discotheque was closed for
two weeks," he said.

The motive behind the incident remains unclear. No one has
reportedly been arrested.

The case is now being investigated by Tanjung Duren Police.
(06/asa)