Indonesian student's fingers severed in alleged school bullying

A 7th-grade student in Pati, Indonesia, is reportedly in recovery after a severe bullying incident allegedly resulted in the loss of two fingers on his left hand. The alleged assault occurred at an MTS school in Margorejo District after midday prayers on Monday, July 27.

According to the victim's lawyer, Catur Andi Cahyanto of LBH Garda Muda Nusantara, the incident began with a verbal exchange involving insults about parents' names between the victim and three older students. The dispute escalated into a physical confrontation, with the victim being pursued and attacked even after seeking refuge in a classroom.

The situation worsened as the victim attempted to escape over a 2-meter high fence near the bathrooms. While climbing, his left hand became trapped between wooden and iron bars, leading to two fingers being severed and one fractured. His lawyer stated that a teacher initially instructed other students to bury the severed fingers within the school grounds.

The victim was taken to KSH Hospital and later to Solo for potential reattachment, but the fingers could not be reconnected due to infection from being in the soil. The incident has been officially reported to the Pati Police. However, the head of the MTS school, Safi'i, has denied it was bullying, calling it a pure accident.