10 Tombs Of The Cross Were Destroyed In 3 Locations Of Bantul, The Perpetrator Turned Out To Be A 15-year-old Boy

BANTUL - Bantul Police have arrested a child with the initials ANFS (15), the alleged perpetrator of the destruction of a number of tombstones at three burial locations, including in the Ngentak Hamlet area, Baturetno Village, Banguntapan District, Bantul Regency, Yogyakarta Special Region.

Head of Public Relations of the Bantul Police, AKP I Nengah Jeffry Prana Widnanya, said the alleged perpetrator was Abed Nego Fais Saputra, a resident of Pringgolayan, Banguntapan, Bantul.

"Regarding the destruction of the tomb, the alleged perpetrator has been arrested," Jeffry said in a written statement, Antara, Tuesday, May 20.

The arrests were made after the police followed up on the report on May 19, 2025, regarding the destruction of a cross-shaped headstone at Ngentak Tomb, Baturetno. On the same day, the Banguntapan Police investigators received information that a similar incident occurred at the Buluwarti Tomb, Purbayan, Kotagede, Yogyakarta.

"In front of the tomb there is a CCTV camera that leads to the location. From the recording, the perpetrator was identified," he said.

During the examination, the perpetrator admitted that he had damaged the tombstones in three different locations, namely Ngentak Tomb, Gedongkuning Tomb, and Buluwarti Tomb. From the evidence of CCTV footage at the Gedongkuning and Buluwarti Tombs, it appears that the perpetrators used a red Yamaha Mio motorbike, which was later found at his parents' house.

CCTV evidence in Gedongkuning also shows the perpetrator's used the same motorbike, and found it in his house, Jeffry said.

Meanwhile, for the incident at Ngentak Cemetery, although there was no CCTV evidence, the perpetrator admitted his actions and there was a chronology fit.

The destruction of the tombstone was first discovered by a resident named Hermawan Riyadi during a pilgrimage to his grandfather's grave on Sunday (18/5/2025) at around 06.00 WIB.

He found the headstone in the form of a cross from his grandfather's wood broken. After checking further, a total of 10 tombstones were damaged seven made of wood and three made of ceramics.

Residents then reported the incident to the head of the RT and forwarded it to the Banguntapan Police. Based on the estimated material losses due to the destruction reached around Rp. 11 million.

Because the perpetrator is still a minor and the criminal threat in Article 179 of the Criminal Code is only one year and four months, the legal process will be carried out with a diversion approach.

"We are coordinating with the Kotagede Police for further handling. Given the age of the perpetrator and the criminal threat, investigators will take diversion efforts," said Jeffry.