REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- KH Hakam Mubarak, son of KH Abdurrahman Syamsuri, who lead the Muhammadiyah Karangasem Paciran boarding school in Lamongan, East Java was beaten by a suspected mentally ill man on Sunday (Feb 18). Deputy head of the boarding school cleric Mufti Labib confirmed the incident.

The assailant was known to have been around cleric Mufti explained when Zuhr prayer time arrives, Kiai Hakam tried to oust the man who sat at the Javanese pendopo located at the courtyard of his house. The pendopo serves as mosque of the boarding school. "Instead of moving, he fight Kiai Hakam until he fell. Local residents helped to secure Kiai Hakam. The police then secured the assailant," he said to Republika.co.id on Monday.

Cleric Mufti said two to three days prior to the incident, the assailant was seen loitering the boarding school area. The identity of the attacker has not been unrevealed, he said. "Nevertheless, the boarding school condition is safe. The freak man is secured at Lamongan District Police," he added. 

Meanwhile, member of Commission III the House of Representatives, Adies Kadir assured the assailant is really a mentally ill man. He has visited the assailant at Bhayangkara Surabaya Hospital. "According to the psychiatrics, the assailant has suffered a severe psychological disorder for the last two or three years," he said.

Also read: Attack to preacher Abdul Basit, Police: It's a pure crime

Adies said Kiai Hakam pulled the man's sarong when trying to oust him. Kiai Hakam was about to perform Zuhr prayer in the pendopo. The man did not move and became mad with the cleric. He tried to chase Kiai Hakam. "He did not bring any weapon. Kiai fell by himself," he remarked.

People thought the incident was an attempt to kill or hurt Kiai Hakam, Adies said. He reiterated the information is incorrect. "The person is not deliberately spread by a certain group to persecute religious leader. 

Adies said it was a regular criminal case.

According to spokesperson of East Java Metro Police Frans Barung Mangera, residents recognized the perpetrator as a local. Most people known him as a mentally ill man. "However, we will investigate the case," he said.

There were at least three attack cases against religious leader figures in the last four weeks. The first case experienced by Kiai Umar Basyri, the clerics at Al Hidayah Islamic boarding school (pesantren) mosque in Cicalengka, Bandung on January 27.

Then the second case happened to Ustaz Prawoto as commander of the Central Leaders Brigade of Islam (Persis). He died after being attacked by a neighbor who was suspected suffered a psychiatric disorder on February 1.

Third case made a student at Pesantren Al Futuhat, Garut, West Java wounded. He was attacked by six unknown people using sharp weapon on February 3. There was also a man who is troubled with his psyches hiding on the At Tawakkal Mosque Bandung City brandishing a knife.

Some mosques also have been vandalized by unknown people. Meanwhile, another attack also targeted St Lidwina, Bedog, Yogyakarta on February 11.

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika