Indonesian Police Revise Death Toll From Football Match Stampede Down to 125
Indonesian soccer fans light candles during a vigil for the victims of Saturday’s soccer riots, in Jakarta, Indonesia
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The death toll from the stampede at a football match in Indonesia has been revised down to 125 after cases of double-counting of victims were discovered, Chief of the National Police Listyo Sigit Prabowo told a press conference on Sunday.Reports citing Indonesian officials gauged the death toll from the Saturday stampede at 174 earlier on Sunday.After collecting data from all relevant agencies and eliminating cases of double-counting, the official death toll has been revised from 129 to 125, Listyo said, as quoted by the Antara news agency. He added that the figure is not final as tabulation continues.Thousands of angry football fans of Arema FC rushed onto the pitch at the Kanjuruhan stadium in the Javanese region of Malang on Saturday after their team lost 3-2 to Persebaya Surabaya. Authorities fired tear gas at supporters of the losing side to calm down the crowd, which led a deadly stampede.The secretary general of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI), Yunus Nusi, said that FIFA had requested a report on the tragedy.Indonesian President Joko Widodo expressed his condolences regarding the tragedy and ordered police and the PSSI to conduct a thorough investigation. Matches of the Indonesian football league have been suspended until further notice.
