Angry residents attack karaoke parlor in Tangerang

Hundreds of angry residents ran amok and destroyed everything they found at Pesona Karaoke House on Jl. Raya Serang, Kadu Watan village, Curug district, Tangerang, regency early on Friday.

The angry locals arrived at the nightspot in phases and attacked two karaoke house workers identified as Indra, 50, and Komeng, 35, before setting ablaze one building and guest vehicles in the parking lot..

“We were powerless to face the attackers who came in groups and phases,” Pesona Karaoke operational manager Maulana Yusuf said Friday, adding that Indra and Komeng were rushed to a hospital for treatment of serious wounds.

Facilities such as TVs, speaker monitors and air conditioners in the karaoke house that provided 14 rooms and a hall for guests were totally destroyed, causing more that Rp 1 billion (US$117,500) in losses to the establishment’s management.

According to Maulana, residents were upset by the management’s refusal to fulfill local demands for the business to stop operating on Thursday evenings.

“We could not fulfill the demand because it was baseless,” he said.

Security officer Maksum Targi said that more than 300 people, including children, adults and elderly came to attack the nightspot.

“As soon as they arrived, they ran amok and destroyed everything here. None tried to prevent the violence,” he said.