A fan was beaten to death, Indonesia stopped the national football tournament

The incident happened on September 23 before the match betweenPersib Bandung and Persija Jakarta in the Indonesian league. The victim isHaringga Sirla, 23 years old, fan ofPersija Jakarta.Haringga was attacked by a group of fans ofPersib Bandung used iron pipes and wooden sticks to beat him to death right outside the stadium.Bandung Lautan Api, away from the capitalJakarta 150km to the south.

According to the Indonesian police, 16 people were arrested for investigation. Immediately after the incident, the Indonesian Football Federation (PSSI) issued a statement expressing regret and sharing the loss of the victim's family: "We hope that similar incidents will not happen again in Indonesian football."

Haringga Sirla is the 70th person to die in connection with a football match in Indonesia since 1994. In the match between Persib Bandung and Persija Jakarta alone, 7 fans of the two teams have died in clashes over the past 6 years.

On September 25, PSSI President Edy Rahmayadi said that the Indonesian championship was suspended while the authorities investigated the incident. "We need clear evidence before making a decision. We operate according to the rules, there will be penalties, from warnings, to fines or even expulsion from the tournament," Mr. Edy Rahmayadi told the media.

Indonesian Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi also supported the suspension of the tournament. "This is a way to show respect to the victims and their families. It is also a form of national condolences after the tragedy. Human life is always more important than football," said Imam Nahrawi.