Laiagam villagers urged to surrender

WABAG police have urged the villagers near Laiagam who attacked police to surrender.
The police gave the directive last Thursday after one senior policeman was seriously injured and three police vehicles were badly damaged by villagers living near Laiagam in Enga province.
The Liop villagers mobilised and attacked 15 policemen last Wednesday when they went in to confiscate cartons of liquor that were smuggled into the village.
The injured policeman was identified as Insp Timothy Pomoso, who is recovering in the Wabag General Hospital’s intensive care unit.
Mr Pomoso received cuts all over his body while the three vehicles had their windscreens smashed and chasis beat inward after being hit with stones and hard objects.
A senior policeman based in Wabag confirmed the incident last Friday.
Police were acting on a tip-off about large quantities of liquor being smuggled into Liop by a club owner.
Policemen went to a club operated by a villager and confiscated the cartons of dark rum drink and loaded into the police vehicle. They were about to leave the area when villagers mobilised and attacked them.
A ringleader, who organised the attack of Insp Pomoso, was arrested and charged with attempted murder and is now locked up in Paiam police station in Porgera, while the other villagers, including the club owner are still at large.
The cartons of dark rum confiscated were transported back to Wabag police station.