Unhan Cadets at Sekolah Rakyat: Expected to Be Non-Violent, Now Under Scrutiny

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Universitas Pertahanan has been in the spotlight over the past few days after one of its students was accused of assaulting three students from the Sekolah Rakyat in Pancakarya village, Ajung district, Jember, East Java.

This is a stark contrast to the purpose for which the cadets were sent to Sekolah Rakyat, which is to instill discipline without violence.

Incident Due to Smoking

The alleged assault reportedly took place on Sunday (October 18, 2026), resulting in one student, identified as P, requiring treatment at a community health center.

P sustained bruises on his chest, prompting his family to pursue legal action for resolution.

P's uncle, BD, stated that the incident occurred after P was caught smoking by students he claims are from Universitas Pertahanan.

“The one who was smoking was slapped,” BD recounted during a discussion on Thursday (October 22, 2026).

BD noted that his nephew was the most severely injured among the trio.

“He was punched and kicked in the chest and back. He had to be treated at the Ajung health center,” he added.

According to BD, the assault happened between 8:00-9:00 PM inside the dormitory.

At that time, he said, no classes were being conducted.

However, he admitted he was unclear about the status of the students involved, including whether they were engaged in community service (KKN) or internships.

The family decided to take the matter to the legal realm and reported it to the Jember Police the following day.

Cadets Sent to Sekolah Rakyat

The presence of Universitas Pertahanan students at Sekolah Rakyat is part of a program from the Ministry of Defense.

The Ministry of Defense deployed 1,262 cadets from Universitas Pertahanan and 206 supervisors to 181 Sekolah Rakyat across Indonesia.