Police probe death of woman

POLICE are investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting of an old woman in Kundiawa, Simbu province, on Monday.
Simbu provincial police commander Supt Joseph Tondop yesterday confirmed the woman from Yuai village on the outskirts of Kundiawa town died in Kundiawa General Hospital from a gunshot injury on Tuesday.
He said police fired warning shots in the air to disperse a rowdy group of drunken boys who
were drinking homebrew and making a nuisance of themselves in public.
“Unfortunately, a stray bullet may have hit the woman,” he said.
Supt Tondop did not want to disclose the identity of the woman but said she was in her late 50s.
“I appeal to relatives of the woman to remain calm as there are procedures in place to deal with such cases.
“Investigations will be conducted, if it is uncovered that if policemen were at fault, they will be prosecuted under the relevant laws,” he said.
Supt Tondop had appointed the Police Criminal Investigation Division’s public complaint section to conduct the investigations.
The remains of the woman is still in the hospital mortuary.
Consumption and trading of homebrew alcohol and drugs are rampant in Yuai market at the junction of Kundiawa-Gembogl Road and Highlands Highway.
Consumers and traders, especially youths, often become rowdy when intoxicated and become disrespectful of women selling garden produce at the market.
Police have been trying to stop the illegal consumption of homebrew but more and more youths are getting involved daily.