January 2, 2026
SURABAYA – The East Java Police have arrested three suspects after the viral eviction of Elina Widjajanti, a 79-year-old woman from Surabaya, and the demolition of her home in a land dispute case.
East Java Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Jules Abraham said the suspects, identified by the initials SAK, MY and SY, were arrested at separate locations over the past few days.
“Based on preliminary investigations, including analysis of video footage circulating on social media, SAK is suspected of mobilizing a group to carry out the eviction, while MY and SY allegedly dragged the victim out and forced her from the house,” Jules said on Wednesday, as quoted by Kompas.id.
He said the suspects have been charged under Article 170 of the Criminal Code for assault, which carries a maximum penalty of five years and six months in prison.
“We will continue to investigate this case, and there is a possibility that the number of suspects may increase,” Jules said.
According to Elina, her sister, Elisa Irawati, purchased the disputed land and houses in 2011, and Elina inherited the property following Elisa’s death in 2017.
Elina said she had been living in the house with several relatives for years until Aug. 6, when SAK arrived at the property accompanied by around 50 members of a local mass organization.
She said SAK claimed he had purchased the property from Elisa in 2014 and forced Elina and other occupants to leave the house.
Elina alleged that members of the mass organization forcibly dragged her out of the house, causing bleeding and bruising, before blocking the entrance with wooden planks.
In the days that followed, the group allegedly removed furniture and other belongings from the house, including important documents related to the property. On Aug. 15, the house was demolished and an “for sale” placard was placed on the site.
In a video uploaded to social media, SAK claimed he possessed documents proving he had purchased the property and said he had communicated with family members living in the house for years regarding the sale.
He also said he had offered temporary housing to the family and denied stealing their furniture and documents, claiming the items were placed in storage and that most had since been retrieved by the family.
However, SAK acknowledged that the eviction and demolition were carried out without a court order, saying the legal process would have taken too long and been too costly.
The video of Elina’s forced eviction recently went viral on social media, drawing widespread public outrage. The footage also reignited concerns that members of mass organizations are often hired to intimidate or extort individuals involved in land disputes.
Responding to the uproar, Surabaya Mayor Eri Cahyadi pledged decisive action against any mass organizations found engaging in intimidation, thuggery, extortion or vigilantism.
“We will recommend that the central government dissolve any organization that engages in thuggery in Surabaya,” Eri said in a press statement on Tuesday.
He emphasized that the city administration would not tolerate any acts of violence that could threaten public order, noting that a task force has recently been formed to combat vigilantism and thuggery in Surabaya.
Regarding Elina’s case, Mayor Eri explained that it arose from a land dispute that had not yet been settled in court, and that the forced demolition was unlawful.
“When there is a dispute, it must be resolved by the court,” he said.