Indonesian Police Charge 6 Suspects Behind Deadly Stadium Stampede - Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 07th October, 2022) Six people have been charged in Indonesia over the stampede that killed 131 last week and the number of suspects can increase, Indonesian news agency Anatar reported, citing the police.

The stampede occurred on October 1 at the Kanjuruhan stadium in the Javanese region of Malang when angry football fans flocked to the field after a match and the security fired tear gas to disperse them.

Charges were brought against three civilians and three police officers, the report read. National Police chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo was cited as saying that suspects include the president of the national football league's organizing body, the head of the organizing committee and a security officer.

The investigation has established that one of the police officers disregarded the ban on the use of tear gas and did not prevent his colleagues from issuing the order to fire it, according to the report.

The suspects have been charged with "causing death or bodily harm by negligence" under the country's criminal code, as well as with violation of sports law and the code of ethics for officials. Listyo noted that the number of suspects could increase.

The secretary general of the Indonesian Football Association, Yunus Nusi, said that FIFA had requested a report on the tragedy.