Police in Tebet, South Jakarta have rounded up 10 teenagers just as they were heading into a gang war using a piece of clothing commonly used for prayer.
The teenagers from two opposing gangs were about to clash in a territorial “sarong war” on Tuesday evening, police said, which involves tying heavy or sharp objects onto the end of the tubular cloth and using it as a weapon.
“Yes [they were heading into a sarong war], but the locals learned about it [before the brawl took place] and tipped the police,” Tebet Police Crime Investigation Unit Head Agus Herwahyu Adi said today.
“We will question them for 48 hours, and if they are found to not have committed any crimes, they will be returned to their parents.”
View this post on Instagram
According to local media, sarong wars often occur during Ramadan, as youth gang members often have the cloth on them for prayer.
Sarong wars are just one of several violent phenomena that occur during Ramadan throughout Indonesia, sullying what should be a time of peace and tranquility during the holy month. Similarly, the capital has also struggled with the early morning “sahur on the road” gang brawls over the years, which have thankfully become less prevalent in recent years due to intense police crackdown.
