Fan sent to hospital after clash

JAKARTA (JP): One of 25 soccer supporters from Semarang, Central Java, rushed to Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital (RSCM) after local residents attacked them at Manggarai railway station in South Jakarta on Sunday evening, died on Monday.

The head of RSCM emergency unit, Akmal Taher, however, refused to reveal the identity of the victim.

Akmal only said that out of the 25 hospitalized supporters, 15 had left the hospital while the nine others were still being treated in the hospital's emergency unit.

Akmal identified the nine treated football supporters as Muriyanto, 17, Sugiono, 17, Eko Santoso, 22, Catur, 22, Toto Ariyanto, 20, Sueb, 20, Supriyono, 22, Seto Widodo, 18, Didi Prayogo, 18 -- all residents of Semarang.

According to a member of staff at Manggarai station, the soccer supporters had just arrived from Bogor after watching their regional football team, PSIS, play a match against Bogor (PSB) football team on Sunday.

"While waiting for a train to take them back to Semarang, some of the supporters stole food and drink from the station vendors.

"Some of them even tried to ask for money from the vendors and pelted stones at passing trains," a member of staff, who requested anonymity, told The Jakarta Post.

He said several angry food vendors gathered and told locals about the supporters' behavior. Minutes later, dozens of local residents armed with sharp weapons attacked the football supporters and injured many of them.

He said trains heading to and from Jakarta at the station were held up for one-and-a-half hours due to the clash.

Suhaimi, a vendor at the station, said police officers arrived quickly at the scene after officials from state railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia reported the clash and managed to control the situation.

He said the police immediately sent the wounded supporters to RSCM and dispersed locals from the station. (01)