Pastor dies in PMV fight

 By PISAI GUMAR

A PASTOR died while trying to save a group of women from being harassed by a PMV bus driver and two others, according to police.

Two girls had to jump off the speeding vehicle in fear of their lives.

Police have warned PMV bus owners to suspend operations as members of the public burnt two buses on Saturday and Sunday.

Superintendent operations Fred Kaiwa cautioned PMV buses servicing the Back Road and Bumayong routes to stop operations until the situation calmed down.

Lae community policing coordinator Peter Gorek said Martin Luther seminarian student Kewa Michael, wife Linda Query Kewa and a child were among passengers travelling to Bumayong on Saturday. 

He said the driver, crew and a relative began assaulting and harassing passengers in the bus mostly women travelling from Back Road to Bumayong at around 5pm.

Gorek said Michael tried to stop the driver and his accomplices from harassing the women but they turned on him. A fight ensued as the driver sped past Bumayong and headed towards Unitech.

Just before the Tent Siti police barracks, Kewa was pushed out of the moving bus after he had been hit with a wheel spanner.

The other girl jumped out of the moving vehicle and called for help. Bystanders reacted swiftly and followed the bus to the Unitech gate.

Linda and other passengers fought their way out of the bus at the gate when the driver slowed down.

On Sunday, angry relatives and youths burnt a PMV bus  at Back Road.

Kaiwa said police were investigating.