finnews.id – A case of alleged violence involving law enforcement officials has once again shocked the public after a member of the Mobile Brigade, Bripda MS, was suspected of assaulting two students in Tual City, Southeast Maluku, on Thursday (19/2/2026).
The incident ended tragically with one victim dead and the other still undergoing intensive care.
The spotlight is now firmly on the Indonesian National Police as the law enforcement agency.
This incident adds to the list of cases that have tarnished the institution’s reputation, following the previous case involving the former Bima Kota Police Chief, Didik Putra Kuncoro, who was implicated in a drug abuse case.
In the incident in Tual, the incident began after dawn when two brothers, who were still madrasah students, were riding a motorcycle near the Maren Regional General Hospital.
Without clear warning, Arianto Tawakal (14) was reportedly struck on the head with a helmet by Bripda MS, who was on duty at Company 1, Battalion C, Pelopor.
Bripda, or Second Police Brigadier, is the lowest rank in the Indonesian National Police’s non-commissioned officer corps.
As a result of the blow, Arianto lost control of his vehicle.
He fell onto the asphalt and suffered serious head injuries.
Eyewitnesses said the victim was covered in blood, with bleeding from his nose and mouth.
The victim was then rushed to Karel Sadsuitubun General Hospital for medical treatment.
However, the severity of his injuries proved fatal, and he was pronounced dead the following day.
Meanwhile, the older brother, Nasri Karim (15), was also affected by the incident.
He suffered a broken right arm and is still undergoing intensive treatment.
Nasri denied reports that they were involved in illegal racing.
He insisted that the incident occurred suddenly while they were riding as usual.
This incident has prompted public pressure for the legal process to be transparent and accountable in order to maintain public trust in the authorities.
Chronology of Events
The two students were riding a motorcycle around Maren Regional General Hospital.
They passed near a location where a number of Brimob members were patrolling or monitoring the area.
Allegedly without clear warning, Constable MS approached and struck one of the victims with his helmet.
The victim lost control, fell, and suffered serious injuries from hitting his head on the road surface.
The other victim was injured in a subsequent accident when the motorcycle continued to move after the incident.
After the incident, the victims were evacuated by fellow officers and taken to the nearest hospital.
Witnesses also lamented the manner of evacuation by a number of officers at the scene, which was considered inhumane — dragging the bodies like objects instead of immediately carrying them into the ambulance.
Police Chief Apologises
Maluku Police Chief Inspector General Dadang Hartanto apologised to the victims’ families and the people of Maluku, while emphasising his institution’s commitment to handling the case transparently, professionally and thoroughly.
