Jakarta Police investigate school mosque blast injuring students

 The Jakarta Police deployed a bomb disposal unit to investigate an explosion that injured several students during Friday prayers at a school mosque in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta.

Several bomb squad vehicles were on standby in front of public high school SMA Negeri 72, while armed joint officers secured the area. Some students remained inside the school compound after the blast.

Sheila, a student at the school, said he was in the mosque corridor for Friday prayers when the explosion occurred.

"When it happened, I ran, and afterward I helped my friends," he said.

Jakarta Police spokesperson Senior Commissioner Budi Hermanto confirmed that investigators were still determining the cause of the explosion.

"We are still examining the scene with the Gegana bomb squad under a special SOP. We must ensure there are no secondary blasts before processing the site," Hermanto said.

He added that two students were injured and taken to a hospital for treatment.

"Based on initial information, two victims were taken to the hospital. The incident is still under investigation," he noted.

Earlier, the Jakarta Fire and Rescue Office reported that the explosion at SMA Negeri 72 came from a loudspeaker inside the school mosque.

"We received a report about the explosion from a witness named Zulfikar at 12:09 p.m. local time," an officer from the office said.