Cultists attack police on patrol

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
TWO cultists and a policeman were wounded during a battle between followers of a newly-formed cult movement and police in a remote area in Madang province last week.
Madang police commander Tony Wagambie Jnr said yesterday that the cultists were wounded in the Rai Coast electorate when they surrounded and attacked a police patrol in the night while the officers were sleeping. They shot an officer in the leg with an arrow.
The officers responded in self-defence with firearms and wounded two cultists, Mr Wagambie said.
“The wounded cultists were taken back to their hideout by their companions while the wounded officer was taken to Saidor.
“He is now in a stable condition. But we do know about the conditions of the cultists.”
Mr Wagambie said the officers were attacked after returning from Rai Coast area where they were investigating a cult movement that started just after the national election.
“They had to walk one whole day to get to that area to investigate the movement after receiving reports of that activity. They were on their way back to Saidor when they were attacked.”
Mr Wagambie said that reports of that cult was sketchy but from what he had, the cult involved young girls rubbing money with freshly killed chicken’s blood and praying in the cemetery for more money to fall from heaven.
“At the moment we are collecting further information about the movement to build up a case against the activists.”