Ramadan stampede kills 21 in Indonesia

A wealthy Indoneasian family was handing out money to the poor which created the stampede. AFP

JAKARTA (AFP) — At least 21 people were killed in a stampede in Indonesia on Monday as they crowded an alley to receive a cash handout for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, police said.

Another 11 people were injured in the crush as thousands packed the narrow sidestreet in Pasuruan, East Java province, to receive a cash gift of 30,000 rupiah (3.30 dollars) each from a rich family, police and news reports said.

"Too many people came and they were afraid they wouldn't be able to get the money so they pushed each other. That's why the stampede occurred," national police spokesman Abubakar Nataprawira said.