Panic at an Indonesian soccer game after police fired tear gas to stop brawls left 129 dead, most trampled to death, police said on Sunday.
Several fights between supporters of the two rival soccer teams were reported at the Kanjuruhan Stadium in the city of Malang in East Java province after the Indonesian Premier League match ended in Persebaya Surabaya’s 3-2 win over Arema Malang.
The scuffles, which broke out shortly after the game ended late Saturday night, prompted riot police to fire tear gas, sparking panic among supporters, East Java Police Chief Nico Afinta said.
Hundreds of people ran to an exit gate to avoid the tear gas. Some suffocated in the chaos and others were trampled, killing 34 almost instantly.
More than 300 were rushed to nearby hospitals to treat injuries, but many died en route and during treatment, Afinta said.
He said the death toll is likely to rise as the condition of many of the approximately 180 injured deteriorated.