Hela police patrol highway

 By PETER ESOP WARI

POLICE are maintaining a regular patrol of the Ambua Gap section of the highlands highway to ensure the safety of travellers.

It follows a complaint by PMG operators and passengers over the regular roadblocks at that section of the highway put up by armed men who demand cash and assault women passengers.

Police said two men armed with home-made guns were arrested at 4am on Tuesday after a police patrol surprised them.

Hela provincial police commander Supt Jimmy Onopia told The National that the two were locked up at the Tari police station awaiting their court appearance.

“The road is free. Hela people must not worry about travelling on that notorious section as police are on a 24-hour security patrol,” he said.

“I have directed police to shoot armed suspects, especially at Ambua Gap, as we are tired of criminal activities.”

Meanwhile, two other men were arrested on Wednesday over the murder of two men from Wabag at Waralo village in Tari-Pori district, Helalast month.

The two were travelling to Hides after their vehicles were hired by landowners from Hides. They were held up by criminals at Waralo and shot dead.

The two were apprehended at their village in Halimbu. 

Onopia said police would continue to conduct dawn raids to catch wanted men.