JAKARTA, Oct 02: Indonesian authorities said on Sunday that at least 174 people, including two police officers, died and more than 100 more were injured after violence broke out following a football match in the East Java province.
East Java police chief Nico Afinta said 34 people died in the stadium, and the rest died either on their way to the hospital or at the hospital where they were being treated.
More than 300 people were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment after the unrest Saturday night that police characterized as "riots."
Afinta said he expected the number of deaths to rise since the condition of some people being treated at hospitals was deteriorating.
Clashes broke out after angry fans stormed onto the football field after the host team, Arema FC, was defeated in the game Saturday night.
Arema FC lost 3-2 to Persebaya Surabaya, the first loss to their bitter rival in more than two decades.
Both are teams from the East Java province, and the game took place at the Kanjuruhan stadium in the Malang district.
Afinta said police responded to the violence by firing rounds of tear gas into the stands after two police officers were killed.
People panicked and hundreds tried to run out of an exit gate at that time, leading to chaos.
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