Student clash in Bandung leaves one dead

Arya Dipa, The Jakarta Post, Bandung | Archipelago | Fri, October 19 2012, 6:36 PM

A violent incident, which began following a disagreement between two students, broke in front of the Papuan students’ dormitory on Jl. Cilaki, Bandung, West Java, on Friday morning, claimed the life of one university student.

Ian, a witness of the incident, said that Yusuf Badi, an international relations student at the Pasundan University, died after being stabbed. “It was a Papuan-to-Papuan brawl. No one had the guts to stop the fight,” said Ian, a flower vendor near the dormitory.

Bandung Police operation chief Adj. Sr. Comr Dani Kustoni said the police had arrested a man identified as Sepnat Karath, a student of Sangga Buana University, for allegedly stabbing Yusuf. Sepnat is a student from Sorong, Papua and lives near the dormitory.

On Thursday night, Sepnat drank beers with some of the dormitory’s residents and smashed some of the beer bottles. Yusuf, saw the shards of glass scattered across the floor and asked his friends to clean up the mess.

It is alleged that when hearing Yusuf’s order to his friends, Sepnat was furious and began to hit him. The brawl broke out following this altercation. It is further alleged that Sepnat found a knife in the dormitory garage and used it as a self-defense tool.

Sepnat said that he had only swung the knife to protect himself and did not mention anything about stabbing Yusuf. Yusuf’s body has been taken to the Santo Borromeus Hospital in Bandung to undergo autopsy. (han/lfr)