Guwahati: The dead toll reached 174 after a riot broke out at a football game in Indonesia on Saturday.
At least 174 people have died after a riot at a soccer game in Indonesia. According to The Straits Times, the fighting started at an East Java stadium during a match between Arema and Persebaya Surabaya.
According to Deputy East Java Governor Emil Dardak, at least 174 individuals perished in the rush. Other recognised or supported by the government sources place the figure between 129 and 182.
According to The Straits Times, video footage from local news networks showed people rushing onto the pitch of the Malang stadium as well as pictures of body bags.
After the match in East Java province between Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya ended on Saturday night, supporters from the losing team invaded the pitch to express their frustration, police said.
East Java police commander Nico Afinta told reporters that when officers used tear gas to try and contain the situation, it caused a rush and some incidents of asphyxia.
Maenwhile, Indonesian President Joko Widodo issued an order to review the safety of the nation’s football matches on Sunday.
More than 300 people were transported to surrounding hospitals following what appears to be one of the greatest stadium tragedies in history, but many of them passed away en route or while receiving care.
According to FIFA rules, police should not possess or deploy weapons or “crowd control gas.”
Mahfud MD, Indonesia’s chief security minister, claimed on social media that the stadium was overcrowded, as reported by Sky News.
He asserted that 42,000 tickets had been distributed despite the sporting stadium only having a 38,000 capacity.
However, Widodo has ordered all games to be postponed until the investigation is over, according to Sky News. The Indonesian football league had previously announced a week-long game suspension.
Additionally, Arema has been prohibited from hosting games for the remainder of the year. There may be more punishments to come.
There have been previous incidents of unrest during games in Indonesia, and fierce rivalries between clubs have occasionally led to fan violence.