Daftarsbmptn.com – An explosion rocked Kelapa Gading State Senior High School 72 (SMAN 72), located in the Indonesian Navy’s Maritime Regional Command (Kodamar) housing complex in West Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, during Friday prayers on Friday afternoon (November 7, 2025). The incident injured dozens of students, teachers, and staff.
Chronology of Events
Around 12:09 p.m. Western Indonesian Time, while the Friday prayer sermon was being held in the school mosque, the first loud explosion was heard from inside the mosque.
Moments later, witnesses reported hearing two or three more explosions in a short period of time.
A tenth-grade student named Aurel described the panic:
- “The first one was really big… after that, everyone ran.”
- Panicked victims scattered out of the mosque and school, some suffering from shattered glass, burns, and even thrown nails.
- Victims and Treatment
- The Chief of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, Inspector General Asep Edi Suheri, stated that the current number of injured victims has reached 54.
- The victims are receiving treatment at several hospitals, including the Cempaka Putih Islamic Hospital and the YARSI Hospital in Central Jakarta. A victim post has been established to facilitate families’ search for their children.
- The types of injuries range from minor burns to injuries caused by glass or nails.
The school has been evacuated, and the mosque and school area have been sterilized by the bomb disposal team (Gegana Brimob Polda Metro Jaya) and the Indonesian Navy’s Korkesmas Team. - The good news is that as of now, there have been no reported casualties.
School Location and Condition
SMAN 72 is located within the Indonesian Navy’s Kodamar military complex, Jalan Prihatin, RT 08/02, Kelapa Gading Barat Village a public school used by both general and Indonesian Navy students.
The school was holding Friday prayers at the time of the incident in the school mosque located on the school grounds all congregants included students, teachers, and staff.
Suspected Cause & Provisional Motive
Police are still investigating the cause of the explosion in depth. Several initial indications have emerged:
- There are reports that the source of the explosion came from the speaker area or sound system in the school mosque.
Edition – Always Updated and Trusted - An object resembling a firearm was found but it was later confirmed by a government representative that the object was a toy gun.
- One of the suspected perpetrators is a student who is currently undergoing surgery—the motive is suspected to be related to bullying at school and involvement with extremist ideology.
- Police have asked the public not to speculate prematurely about the motive for the attack, including the possibility of terrorism, until the results of the investigation are available.
Police & Government Actions
Following the incident, the Jakarta Metropolitan Police conducted a crime scene investigation, installed police tape, and conducted an investigation with the Bomb Squad/Gegana (bomb squad) to ensure the area was safe from any remaining explosives.
The Jakarta Provincial Government, the Indonesian Navy, and the school collaborated on evacuations, victim care, and trauma healing for students. The school was temporarily closed for sterilization and inspection.
The Deputy Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Lodewijk F. Paulus, stated that the weapons found were only toys and could not yet be classified as acts of terrorism. The motive is still under investigation.
Psychological Impact & School Reaction
This incident has left deep trauma for the school community and the victims’ families. Students who were in the mosque at the time were seen crying, and some suffered burns or other injuries.
“When the second explosion happened, everyone immediately left,” said Aurel.
Parents gathered at the school gate or at the hospital waiting for news of their children. The school scheduled counseling, recovery, and trauma healing sessions.
The school also began taking anticipatory measures: evaluating security at the mosque and the entire school area, restricting access, and checking backpacks before prayers or mass events.
Future Challenges
Several key areas of concern going forward:
- The exact cause of the explosion: was it truly caused by a loudspeaker, a homemade bomb, or another improvised device?
- Motive: was it related to bullying, extremist ideology, or simply technical negligence?
- School security systems: This incident demonstrates that even school spaces/mosques are vulnerable; a better preparedness and monitoring system is needed.
- Managing victim trauma: In addition to physical injuries, students’ psychological injuries and discomfort must be addressed immediately to avoid disruption to the learning process.
- Appropriate public communication: ensuring valid information and preventing excessive speculation that could trigger panic or fear among students and the community.
Conclusion
The explosion at SMAN 72 Kelapa Gading during Friday afternoon prayers was a serious incident that shook the school environment and prompted a comprehensive evaluation of the security of educational institutions.
Although 54 people were injured and there were no fatalities, its impact extends to broader areas—school security, trauma management, and potentially more complex motives.
The police and government are still thoroughly investigating the causes and motives of the incident. The school principal, parents, and other relevant parties hope that the children can return to school safely and normally after physical and psychological recovery.
We hope the investigation will be transparent and the victims will recover quickly, so that the school can once again be a safe and comfortable place for learning and worship.