Indonesia sets up team to probe deadly football stampede

JAKARTA. KAZINFORM The Indonesian government has set up an independent team to investigate the deadly crush at a football stadium that killed at least 125 people over the weekend, the country’s chief security minister said on Monday, The Arab News reported.

The stampede in Malang, East Java, on Saturday occurred after frustrated fans from the losing home team, Arema football club, ran onto the pitch at the end of the match. Authorities said anarchy ensued, prompting officers to fire tear gas in an attempt to control the crowd.

Footage circulated on social media showed scuffling between football fans and officers in riot gear, while others rushed toward an exit gate and scaled a fence to flee the clouds of tear gas.

Indonesia’s chief security minister, Mahfud MD, announced on Monday the formation of a 13-member independent fact-finding team to probe the disaster.

«The team will work within two weeks to one month at the latest, and the result of the team’s investigation and its recommendations will be handed over to the president,» Mahfud told a news conference.

Photo: nbcnews.com