Pati. The Criminal Investigation Unit of the Pati City Police is investigating a vigilante incident in Pati, Central Java, which resulted in the death of a car rental owner from Jakarta and left three of his friends critically injured.

The unit's chief, Commissioner Alfan Armin, explained the chronology of the tragic incident. BH, a 52-year-old car rental owner, detected his white Honda Mobilio, which had not been returned by a renter, via GPS in Sumbersoko Village, Sukolilo District, Pati Regency. Accompanied by his three colleagues— SH, 28, KB, 54, and S, 27,— BH traveled from Jakarta to the location using a Daihatsu Sigra on Wednesday, June 5.

After resting in Semarang, they continued their journey and arrived in Pati on Thursday, around 2:00 p.m. They reached Sumbersoko Village around 2:00 a.m. and found the car parked in a resident's yard. Without notifying the locals, BH used a spare key brought from Jakarta to unlock the car and drive it out of the village.

As they were driving the car out, they were accused of theft by the villagers and were chased by a mob. Their car with three people inside fled towards the forest but ended up at a dead end. Meanwhile, BH in the rented Honda Mobilio nearly escaped the village but was blocked by the villagers at the only exit.

The three victims in the Sigra were dragged back to the village, beaten, and their car was set on fire. BH, who nearly escaped, was also brought back to the settlement and was beaten by the mob. He eventually died after being treated at Kayen Pati Regional Hospital.

During the police investigation, it was revealed that the victims were the car rental owners. Videos of the incident went viral on social media, leading the police to question several residents. The Pati City Police Criminal Investigation Unit has named two suspects and questioned six witnesses.

"We are still delving into the actions of the perpetrators. We are currently expanding our investigation to identify additional suspects," Alfan said on Saturday.

Residents involved in the assault could face charges under Article 170 of the Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHP), which carries a maximum penalty of 12 years imprisonment.

As of now, the three injured victims are still receiving treatment at Soewondo Pati Regional Hospital. One remains in critical condition and is unable to provide a statement, while the other two are conscious but still weak.

Evidence from the scene has been secured by the police, including the victim's car, which was set on fire by the mob.

The police urge the public to trust them to handle the case and emphasize that this incident should serve as a lesson for the community to refrain from taking the law into their own hands.