Six Charged over Indonesia Stadium Disaster

In the crush, "most of the dead victims suffered from asphyxia".

League organizer PT LIB also "did not verify" the safety of the stadium since 2020 and the organizing committee of Arema FC "did not prepare an emergency plan", he said.

Police described the pitch invasion as a riot and said two officers were killed, but survivors accused them of overreacting.

Officers responded with force, kicking and hitting fans with batons, according to witnesses and footage, pushing the spectators back into the stands where many would die after tear gas was fired.

Several witnesses said police stood by and refused to help victims.

Instead, bystanders rushed to help.

Negligence

Kiosk owner Edy Tanto said he saw people begin to pour out of the stadium when chaos erupted.

He rushed to provide water from his shop to victims whose eyes were stung with the tear gas, which witnesses said police had fired into the stands.

"I couldn't think straight," Tanto told AFP as he sat cross-legged on the floor of his shop.

"I just thought of helping them."

Also read: Indonesia Launches Investigation into Deadly Football Stampede

Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced an investigation after the tragedy and called for a safety review of all stadiums.

The Malang police chief was replaced Monday, nine officers were suspended and 19 others were put under investigation, according to police.

But organizers of the match and club officials have also been blamed for the chaos.