By IANS,
Jakarta : At least 18 people were killed and dozens injured in a stampede as spectators Sunday night fled an amateur boxing match in a sports hall in Nabire in Indonesian province of Papua, said authorities Monday.
The stampede happened when hundreds of people tried to get out of the sports hall following a massive brawl between supporters of rival boxers, reported Xinhua.
“The stampede took 18 lives while 34 were injured,” Papua provincial police spokesperson Gede Sumerta Jaya said Monday.
The riot was triggered by supporters of the defeated boxer shortly after the winner of the match was announced by the referee, Sumerta said.
The 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. The hall was packed with 1,500 people.
Eleven of those who died were women, while the remaining were men, Metro TV reported Monday.