REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The police would track down those responsible for spreading fake news following the death of a Persija supporter after being beaten by several fans of the Persib Bandung team. Therefore, police urged the people to restrain themselves from spreading hoaxes.

"Do not spread rumors. We are tracing you, and will take legal action against those spreading fake news," spokesman of the National Police Inspector General Setyo Wasisto said here on Monday.

In the aftermath of Haringga Sirla's death, irresponsible people spread fake news on social media stating that drivers of vehicles with specific license plates were warned against passing by on certain roads, he said. Wasisto urged all elements of the society to get rid of those involved in the making and spreading of fake news to the supporters of both the Persija and Persib soccer clubs through the internet.

"I call on the people, particularly the Persija and Persib Bandung fans, to exercise self-restraint. Please let the police probe into this case," he said.

Sirla, a 23-year-old Jakmania member and Persija supporter, was killed in the courtyard of the Bandung Lautan Api sports stadium in the West Java provincial capital of Bandung on Sunday (September 23).

Photograph of the young Haringga Sirila seen at his house in Cengkareng, West Java. The Jakmania member and Persija supporter killed by Persib supporters in the courtyard of the Bandung Lautan Api sports stadium in the West Java provincial capital of Bandung on Sunday (September 23).

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan and West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil condemned the murder of this Jakmania member. They have handed over the criminal case to the police.

The Indonesian under-16 soccer team expressed condolences over the demise of the Persija supporter after being allegedly beaten insistently by those supporting the Persib Bandung team. The Indonesian U-16 team conveyed its condolences through a video recording uploaded on the official Instagram page of the team coach, Fakhri Husaini, @coachfakhri, on Monday.

"We, a big family of the under-16 national team, mourn the death of the Persija supporter during the Persib-Persija match on Sunday (September 23, 2018)," said the U-16 soccer team's captain David Maulana, who was accompanied by all his teammates, coaches, and staff of the U-16 Indonesia national team.

After extending their condolences, all those in the video exposed the palms of their hands to the camera and exclaimed simultaneously: "Stop violence in football!"

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