November 13, 2025
JAKARTA – The recent explosion at SMAN 72 Kelapa Gading state high school in North Jakarta has sparked alarm over the education system’s failure to address mental health issues, after police revealed that the suspect behind the blast had long struggled with mental distress and feelings of neglect.
Police identified the suspect as a 17-year-old “introverted” student who acted out of months of pent-up resentment toward his surroundings. The teenager reportedly had no safe outlet to express his emotions, feeling isolated and neglected both at home and at school, Jakarta Police general crime director Sr. Comr. Imam Imanuddin said during a livestreamed briefing on Tuesday.
An officer from the police’s Counterterrorism Special Detachment 88 (Densus 88), Adj. Comr. Mayndra Eka Wardhana, added that the student had a history of seeking out violent content online and was involved in an online community that glorified violent acts.
“He felt oppressed and isolated, carrying a motivation of revenge over how he was treated,” Mayndra said. “He visited websites showing deaths, accidents and other gruesome scenes. That’s what inspired him.”
Police said a toy gun found at the scene bore inscriptions linked to neo-Nazi and white supremacist ideologies, though investigators found no evidence of affiliation with such groups. Authorities have ruled out terrorism as a motive.
Read also: Nationwide school safety in spotlight after SMAN 72 Jakarta blasts
The explosion, triggered by four of seven low-explosive handmade bombs containing potassium chloride planted in and around the school mosque, injured 96 people, mostly suffering from hearing problems. As of Tuesday, 28 remain hospitalized.
The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) said the case exposed a “serious obstacle” in building a child-friendly and anti-violence school environment, reflecting a broader weakness in the education system that must be addressed collectively by all stakeholders.
Commissioner Aris Adi Leksono warned of the growing influence of social media in promoting extremist behavior among teenagers through digital grooming, with children being manipulated online into adopting extreme views.
“Without strong digital literacy, children can easily be exposed to content that promotes violence, hatred and extremism disguised as moral lessons,” Aris said on Tuesday, urging ministries overseeing child protection, education and communications to tighten supervision of harmful online content.
The KPAI further urged schools to establish an early warning system to detect behavioral changes among students, such as social withdrawal, hate speech or fascination with violence, and to build stronger support networks involving counselors, psychologists and parents to foster open and empathetic communication.
Education expert Ina Liem said the incident highlighted a systemic failure among schools, families, communities and the state to protect children. When parents fail to pay attention to their children’s distress, she argued, schools should be able to recognize early warning signs before they spiral out of control.
She noted that many schools had yet to implement the government-mandated violence prevention task forces, leaving students vulnerable without a safe space to seek help. “We focus too much on academic achievement and forget that children who feel ignored can lose their sense of direction,” she said on Tuesday.
Ina argued that simply restricting access to digital content or games will not solve the problem, as those spaces often serve as an escape for children seeking emotional fulfillment they cannot find in real life.
“The real issue lies in the lack of supervision, communication and social support,” she said. “Without fixing these, no matter how strict the rules are, children will always find another form of escape.”
Read also: Police probes student after nearly 100 hurt in school blasts
Meanwhile, child psychologist Sani Budiantini Hermawan said imposing restrictions could help prevent them from imitating violent behavior, since adolescents are highly impressionable and easily influenced by what they see.
However, she emphasized that a harmonious family environment is equally important to prevent children from experiencing or replicating violence at home.
“What matters most is how parents can approach and befriend their children, so they can anticipate problems early and help find nonviolent, emotionally mature solutions,” Sani said. “Parents must first build mutual trust with their children to create open communication.”