Truth is the first casualty of any fake news or hoaxes, but misinformation can also claim lives, just like it did in Indonesia recently.
Maman Budiman, a 53-year-old resident of Pontianak, West Kalimantan, went to visit his grandchildren in the Mempawah Regency on Sunday, no doubt never expecting that he would become the target of violence by a large mob of locals.
According to local police, Maman looked lost as he was looking for directions to his son’s house. Unfortunately, there have been many hoax stories spreading throughout Indonesia lately about drifters and strangers intending to kidnap children, with some versions of the stories suggesting that they would harvest and sell the children’s organs.
“Because of the victim’s suspicious movements, locals took it upon themselves [to inflict mob justice on the victim] and create anarchy,” said West Kalimantan Police Chief Musyafak, as quoted by Liputan 6.
After receiving his first beating, Maman was taken to a local government office for his own safety. When the police arrived to take him away, the mob, which reportedly numbered 800 people, broke into the office to finish the job, killing Maman.
“Police officers were present during the incident, but the mob vastly outnumbered us. The officers at the scene weren’t able to curb the mob’s anarchy,” Musyafak said.
There have not yet been any reports of the police making arrests in Maman’s alleged murder.
National Police Chief Tito Karnavian last week confirmed that hoax stories about kidnappings have come prevalent in Indonesia lately.
“Maybe there are those who deliberately create provocative issues to promote fear,” he said, as quoted by Liputan 6.
The National Commission for Child Protection (KPAI) urged the public not to share these hoaxes and that they should go to the authorities to report any suspicious activities instead of taking justice into their own hands.
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