Jakarta: At least 129 people were killed and 180 others injured after a stampede and clashes at a football match in Indonesia’s Malang, East Java province on Saturday evening, Indonesian police said on Sunday.
Provincial police chief Nico Afinta said at a press conference that the chaos happened on late Saturday at the Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang regency right after Arema Malang club lost to Persebaya Surabaya in the Indonesian Liga 1 football contest.
Two policemen were among the killed in the incident, he said.
Afinta said preliminary findings showed that most of the deaths were due to the stampede, while other people may have died because of breathing difficulties.
“Around 34 people died inside the stadium and the rest died in hospital,” Afinta said.
According to the police official, a large number of supporters of the losing team refused to accept the defeat of the game and climbed over the fence and entered the football pitch, resulting in clashes with the police and a stampede.
According to local media reports, supporters of both football teams brawled and fought inside the stadium, and riot police fired tear gas at them, which caused panic among crowds. People scrambled to leave the stadium, leading to a stampede at an exit.
Indonesian Youth and Sports Minister Zainudin Amali apologized for the incident, said authorities will investigate into the clashes and reassess the organizers’ management and security measures at the Indonesian football tournament.
