MALANG, Indonesia (CelebrityAccess) — An Indonesian police chief and nine police officers were removed from their posts in the wake of a deadly crowd crush at an Indonesian football game on Saturday that killed at least 125 people.
According to the Associated Press, National Police spokesperson Dedy Prasetyo said Malang police chief Ferli Hidayat had been removed along with nine members of a special brigade. The police officers will face possible firing as a result of pending police ethics trial.
Additionally, authorities have launched an investigation into the decision to fire tear gas into the crowd on Sunday, with eighteen additional officers, including some high-ranking officials subjected to official scrutiny.
Investigators are interviewing witnesses and reviewing video from multiple security cameras installed around the stadium, as well as video captured by cell phones as part of an investigation that will also identify suspected vandals, the AP reported.
As well, Indonesia’s Security Minister Mohammad Mahfud said he plans to lead an inquiry that will examine potential legal violations in the disaster and prepare recommendations to increase safety at soccer games in the nation. The investigation is expected to be completed within three weeks.
“The government urged the national police to evaluate their security procedures,” Mahfud said at a news conference on Monday.
