Indonesia revises death toll from football stadium stampede | Tellwell Newspaper
Tellwell Newspaper, Abuja – Nigeria:
A riot and stampede at a football match in Indonesia on Saturday has led to the deaths of 125 people and at least 180 injuries.
Officials have revised the earlier figure of 174 deaths.
The incident, which is being seen as one of the world’s worst stadium disasters, took place on Saturday night at Kanjuruhan stadium in East Java province’s Malang city after Arema FC lost to Persebaya Surabaya.
Police responded to the riot by firing teargas on the crowd, causing panic. Fifa has banned the use of teargas in stadiums.
“We have already done a preventive action before finally firing the teargas as [fans] began to attack the police, acting anarchically and burning vehicles,” said East Java police chief Nico Afinta at a press conference early on Sunday.
East Java’s deputy governor, Emil Dardak, revised the death toll from the incident to 125 casualties after earlier telling local media there were 174 deaths.
He said more than 100 of those injured are receiving treatment in eight hospitals without charge. About 11 of them are in critical condition.
The rioting had spread to outside the stadium, reported the Associated Press, which said at least five police vehicles were set ablaze. Visuals showed two damaged cars inside the stadium as well.
As hundreds rushed to exit the stadium, some suffocated and others were trampled.
Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo, has called for a probe into the incident and offered condolences to the families of those who died.
Independent
