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Indonesian police probe tear gas firing at soccer match

Indonesian police said they were investigating over a dozen officers responsible for firing tear gas that set off a crush that killed 125 people at a soccer match, as families and friends grieved on Monday for the victims that included 17 children.

Distraught family members were struggling to comprehend the sudden loss of loved ones at the match in East Java’s Malang city that was watched only by hometown Arema FC fans. The crush was among the world’s deadliest disasters at a sporting event.

Witnesses said fans flooded the pitch and demanded that Arema management explain why, after 23 years of undefeated home matches against Persebaya, on Saturday night’s ended in a 3-2 defeat.

Some of the 42,000 Arema fans threw bottles and other objects at players and soccer officials. At least five police vehicles were toppled and set ablaze outside the stadium.

But most of the deaths occurred when riot police, trying to stop the violence, fired tear gas, including toward the spectator stands, triggering the disastrous crush of fans making a panicked, chaotic run for the exits. Most of the 125 people who died were trampled upon or suffocated. At least 17 children were among the dead.

WORLD

en-in

2022-10-04T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-10-04T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://news.dtnext.in/article/282200834807388

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