Outcry in Central Java as police investigate 7-year-old boy's death after alleged school attack

Indonesian police are investigating the death of a seven-year-old primary school pupil in Pemalang, Central Java, after his family reported that he had allegedly been assaulted by three older pupils.

Muhammad Hasbi Al Aqib, known as Abiq, a Year 2 pupil at SDN 1 Kebondalem in Pemalang, died on 30 September 2026 while being taken to hospital after suffering severe abdominal pain.

Police have not established that bullying or physical assault caused his death and have not named any child as a suspect.

Pemalang Police Criminal Investigation Unit chief AKP M. Faizal Wildan Umar Rela said investigators were continuing to collect evidence from the victim's family, school and fellow pupils. By 3 October, six witnesses had been questioned, including Abiq's friends, school personnel and his parents.

Wildan has urged the public not to draw conclusions from information circulating on social media while the investigation is continuing, particularly because children are involved in the case.

Family says pupil was assaulted over Rp5,000

According to Abiq's family, the child eventually told his parents that he had been assaulted by three older pupils. His father, Nurwandi, said Abiq identified three children when shown photographs: two were in Year 5 and one was in Year 6.

Police are also investigating whether Rp5,000 (about US$0.29) was involved in the alleged incident. According to the family, Abiq was demanded to hand over the money by the older pupils. Wildan said police were still examining the possible motive and would provide further information after completing their investigation.

The family has described injuries that they say they observed on Abiq. His mother, Diah Indriyanti, said there were bruises on his body and that he complained of pain.

The family also said that on the day of the incident, Abiq returned from school with a nosebleed and bruises across his body. They said a teacher cleaned the blood and injuries at school and told the child to tell his parents that he had fallen at school.

The teacher's alleged actions have become part of the family's concerns over how the incident was handled. Police have not publicly confirmed the account and are examining statements from school personnel as part of their investigation.

The family later learned that Abiq had allegedly been assaulted by older pupils and reported the matter to police.

Child spent nine days in hospital

Abiq was taken to hospital on 17 September, after complaining of abdominal pain. According to reports citing his family, he subsequently experienced vomiting and bloody bowel movements.

He was treated at RSUD dr M Ashari in Pemalang for about nine days before returning home. His condition subsequently deteriorated. On 30 September, his family took him back towards hospital, but he died during the journey.

His mother initially believed that he was suffering from an illness. She later noticed injuries on his body and learned about his account of being assaulted.

Abiq's father said the child had also pointed out the pupils he believed had assaulted him when shown photographs. Police are checking the account against statements from other witnesses and other available evidence.

Autopsy results still awaited

Abiq's body was autopsied by the Central Java Police Medical and Health Division (Biddokkes Polda Jawa Tengah) at RSUD dr M Ashari on 1 October. The examination was conducted to help determine the cause of death. 

As of the latest police update, the autopsy results had not been released. Investigators were waiting for the Biddokkes report before determining the next legal steps.

Police have not confirmed claims circulating on social media that Abiq suffered a fractured spine or ruptured stomach. Those claims should therefore not be treated as established medical findings until the forensic results are released.

Investigators have also checked for CCTV footage. Police said there was no CCTV camera covering the location being examined at the school.

School faces criticism over handling of case

The handling of the case has drawn criticism from Abiq's family and members of the local community.

The family has questioned why they were not initially informed that Abiq had allegedly been assaulted and has criticised the school's handling of the injuries reported on the day of the incident.

The school principal, Erning Rustini, has also faced public criticism over the case. She has declined to provide detailed comments while the police investigation is under way and said the matter had been handed over to law enforcement. 

On 5 October, residents and parents gathered outside SDN 1 Kebondalem to demand accountability and a full investigation into Abiq's death. The protest included calls for the school to explain how the alleged bullying was handled.

A member of Indonesia's House of Representatives Commission III, Abdullah, has also called for a transparent investigation after receiving complaints about the case, including allegations concerning the school's handling of information.

Police have rejected social-media claims that an alleged perpetrator had fled Pemalang. Wildan said the relevant children remained in the area and were scheduled to be examined as part of the investigation.

The case remains under investigation. Police are continuing to question witnesses and school personnel and are awaiting the autopsy findings before determining whether any child will be placed in conflict with the law.