Music show erupts in communal violence

PALEMBANG, South Sumatra: A communal clash broke out on Saturday during a dangdut music show in the village of Mesuji in Ogan Komering Ilir, some 200 kilometers south of Palembang, the capital of South Sumatra.

The incident left two people dead and two others injured.

An assistant to Ogan Komering Ilir district head, Sulaini Manaf, said the clash, involving villagers from at least three different neighborhoods, erupted in Dusun IX Kotabaru at around 11 p.m.

He said the clash was initially sparked by quarrels during the music event as some spectators insisted on dancing on the stage, ignoring the organizing committee's rules prohibiting such behavior.

Scuffles broke out and two residents, Tholib and Pardi, were killed, while Krisna and Pande suffered mild injuries. Both fatalities were mobbed to dead.

Police were alerted later to disperse the crowds and village heads were summoned to help security forces to calm their villagers down. (33)