Case Of Alleged Beating Of Elementary School Students In Makassar, Police Still Investigating Cause Of Death

Illustration of bodies (ANTARA)

Makassar City Police Resort, South Sulawesi, is still waiting for the autopsy results to determine the cause of death of an elementary school student named Muhammad Raja Afnan (15), who was allegedly killed as a result of being beaten by three of his colleagues.

Kapolrestabes Makassar, Commissioner of Police Arya Perdana, stated that his party had not been able to draw conclusions before the official results from the forensic team came out.

"Death must be based on the results of a medical autopsy. If the death is due to what, it is only the doctor who knows. We are waiting for the autopsy results from forensic medicine to determine what the death was for, so we can talk about the next steps," said Arya, Monday, June 2.

In the investigation process, investigators from the Makassar Police Criminal Investigation Unit have asked for information from the families of the victims, the school, and the hospital. The goal is to match the information obtained with the results of the autopsy that will soon come out.

The police are also still investigating allegations of acts of violence that caused the death of the victim. According to Arya, information circulating in the community will be thoroughly verified.

"It was said that there were bruises, whether it was what caused death or not, now we will find out later from the doctor. We don't know, because it's still in the process of investigating and examining all of them," he said.

Previously, Muhammad Raja Afnan, a 6th grade elementary school student Maccini Sawah 1, died after being suspected of being a victim of a beating by two school friends and one junior high school student. This incident is said to have occurred after school after the victim took the exam.

The victim had complained of pain in the chest, suffered bruises on several parts of the body, as well as burns that were suspected of being caused by cigarette burns. He was treated at three hospitals, namely Pelamonia Hospital, Sitti Fatima Hospital, and finally died at Faisal Islamic Hospital on Friday, May 30, 2025, afternoon.

The family who felt there were irregularities in the victim's death then reported to the Makassar Police and asked for an autopsy.

The victim's body was buried at the Panaikang Public Cemetery, Jalan Urip Sumoharjo, Makassar City, after the autopsy process was carried out on Saturday, May 31, 2025.