18 killed in Indonesia's Papua stampede
Bernama
July 15, 2013 14:33 MYT
July 15, 2013 14:33 MYT
At least 18 people were killed and dozens injured in a stampede as spectators fled an amateur boxing match in a sports hall in Nabire in eastern Indonesian province of Papua on Sunday night.
According to China's Xinhua news agency, the trample happened when hundreds of people tried to get out of the sports hall following a massive brawl between supporters of rival boxers.
"The stampede took 18 lives while 34 others were injured," Papua provincial police spokesperson Gede Sumerta Jaya said on Monday.
The riot was triggered by supporters of the defeated boxer shortly after the winner of the match was announced by the referee at 23:00 local time, Sumerta said.
The panic crowd frantically tried to escape from the riot by trampling on those who fell around the only access door to get in and out of the sports hall swarmed by 1,500 people.
Eleven of those perished in the mishap were women, while the remaining seven were men, local Metro TV reported Monday.
Those who allegedly committed the riot were being questioned by police.