Indonesia: Man charged over deadly free cash stampede

JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- Indonesian police have charged a businessman whose free cash handout led to a stampede that killed at least 21 people in an eastern Indonesian town.

Police charged Haji Farouk with negligence resulting in death. If convicted, he can be sent to jail for up to five years, said National Police spokesman Abubakar Nataprawira on Tuesday.

Hundreds of people -- mostly women, children and the elderly -- had lined up in the town of Pasuruan, about 500 miles (804 km) from the capital, to accept 40,000 rupiah ($4.25) each from Farouk on Monday.

Cash handouts are common in the Muslim country during the Islamic month of fasting, Ramadan.

A stampede ensued as the crowd rushed forward to get the money.

The crowd pushed women and children against an iron fence. Mothers handed their screaming babies over the fence to security guards on the other side of the businessman's compound.

"The local government had no prior knowledge of this handout, therefore the necessary personnel needed to secure the process was not in place," said Pasuruan mayor Aminurrohman, who like many Indonesians go by one name.

Nine people remained in intensive care on Tuesday.

CNN's Andy Saputra contributed to this report.

All About Indonesia