Stampede victims reported at Indonesian Kanjuruha Stadiumn “died in the arms” of the players. This was stated by the coach of the local team, and the authorities raised number of deceased children up to 32.
Javier Roca stated that the event that took place on Saturday evening, after the match between his team Arema FC and its archrival Persebaya Surabaya left him “mentally broken”.
Authorities recorded 125 deaths, the youngest victim was a child 3 years.
In addition, it was announced that about 18 police officers were under investigation in connection with the events that took place in the Jawa region.
Police, prime suspect
The actions of the security forces have been heavily criticized, and there are those who hold them responsible for the tragedy, in particular their decision to use tear gas against the fans who invaded the field at the end of the match.
An eyewitness told the BBC that the police fired many gas rounds. “continuous and fast” try to disperse the fans of both teams.
Fans of the local football club Arema took to the pitch to celebrate a 3-2 victory over their rival Persebaia Surabaya. For their part, their opponents also occupied the field, but with the intention of attacking the Arema players and confronting their fans.
Police spokesman Dedi Prasetio told reporters that officers under investigation are “responsible for possession” of weapons and said they are being “interrogated” for internal affairs group.
Leaving the door open to extend the investigation to other soldiers, the official said field security and some officials of the Indonesian Football League were also under investigation.
The Indonesian Human Rights Commission has said it will conduct its own investigation into the case, and President Joko Widodo has ordered all parties to stop investigating until the incident is clarified.
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Amnesty International considered that the police used “excessive force” to contain the unarmed crowd.
For its part, on Sunday, demonstrations took place on the streets of Jakarta, the capital of the Asian country, against “police brutality”.
Indonesian security forces have previously been criticized for their repeated use of tear gas in overcrowded stadiums.
For his part, Roca, coach of the Arema football club, told the Spanish broadcaster Cadena Ser that, in his opinion, “The police have exceededor in his attempts to control the public.
“The worst thing was when the injured came to be treated by the team doctor,” said coach Roca. “About 20 people came and four died. The fans died in the arms of the players.”
The announcement of the investigation came after FIFA called the disaster “a black day for everyone involved in football and an unfathomable tragedy” and demanded an explanation from the Asian country’s Football Federation.
FIFA rules prohibit police from carrying or using “crowd control gases” at matches.
first revelations
Indonesian Security Minister Mahfud M.D. reported that there were more spectators at the Kanjurukhan stadium on Saturday than it should have been. The official assured via his Instagram account that 42,000 tickets were received for the game, despite the venue being able to accommodate 38,000 people.
The video shows fans rushing onto the field after the final whistle, as police respond with tear gas.
“The situation has become anarchic. They started attacking the officers, damaged the cars,” East Java Police Chief Niko Afinta admitted, who said that two officers were among the dead.
“We would like to inform you that not all (fans) were lawless. Only about 3,000 took to the field,” the officer said.
According to the official, the fleeing fans ran to one of the exits from the stadium, where there was a crowd, where there was not enough air.
The footage shows fans climbing over fences to save themselves, while others filmed lifeless bodies on the ground.
horror reviews
Esther Andayanengtyas told the BBC that her 17-year-old daughter Deborah suffered serious injuries, including a broken neck and brain swelling during the panic.
“I asked him not to go to the stadium that day. She did not return home, her friends were looking for her in the morning,” Andayanengtyas said. “We looked for her in the emergency room, but she was not there. The hospital told us to look in the morgue. The confusion arose because my daughter did not have an ID.”
Muhammad Dipo Maulana, 21, who was present at the match, told the BBC that after the game, several Arema fans took to the pitch to celebrate the victory, but were immediately intercepted by police and “beaten”.
Then more spectators jumped onto the field in protest, the fan explained.
“The police came with dogs D shields”Deepo said, later claiming he heard more than 20 tear gas shots towards the audience.
The tragedy is one of the deadliest in a sports stadium in decades.
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Source: La Opinion
Mary Moore is an accomplished author and journalist known for her engaging and informative writing on trending topics. She currently works as a writer at 24 news breaker. With a keen interest in current events and a talent for finding the human angle in stories, Mary’s writing is always engaging, insightful and informative.