Violent incident during Ogoh-ogoh parade

International News, National News

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A parade for the ogoh-ogoh effigies in Denpasar, as part of the build up to Nyepi was unfortunately marked by a violent incident.

A lieutenant for the Indonesian military, Ruli Hamdani, 49, was allegedly attacked on Tuesday by a group of youth around 11 pm at a parade on Jl. Raya Pemogan, South Denpasar.

Hamdani, originally from East Java, had been enjoying the parade with his family when he saw a woman struggling with her motorbike that ran out of fuel. But when Hamdani tried to help the woman push the bike to the nearest place selling pom bensin, he apparently had a problem with a crowd of youth in the way.

“The victim (Lt. Ruli), said ‘excuse me’ to one of the young men to pass,” an unnamed police officer told Tribun Bali.

When Ruli tried to ask for permission to cross in front of the men, they instead started berating Ruli, picked a fight with him and one man allegedly smashed a beer bottle to his head, according to Tribun.

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Incidentally, another member of the military, a sergeant, saw the incident and rushed in to help, while other people at the parade also reportedly intervened to help Ruli.

After receiving treatment for his injury, the victim reported his case to the police.

Ruli’s case was confirmed to local media separately by South Denpasar Police Chief Insp. Hendi Septiadi.

A suspect has since reportedly been arrested.

Let’s hope things are resolved, quickly, calmly, and fairly, because if things really happened as they are being told, that’s totally messed up this guy who was trying to help out a woman got hit with a bottle by a bunch of drunk and untamed youth.