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)