Policeman killed by crocodile

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
A COMMUNITY policeman was killed by a crocodile when returning to his village after completing his duty at the Baimuru Police Station in Gulf, according to police.
Acting Southern police commander Chief Supt John Maru said: “The victim was paddling to his village at Bekoro from Baimuru Police Station (last week) where he was providing voluntary service to maintain law and order in the Baimuru local level government.
“Along the river, the crocodile attacked him on his canoe and killed him.
“And when a search party spotted the crocodile resting on the muddy bank, they saw the victim still stuck in its jaw.”
Chief Supt Maru said the victim’s canoe was floating down the river when a family paddling along the river in another canoe, discovered the victim’s personal belongings.
“They alerted the rest of villagers and the police and a search party were dispatched to locate the crocodile,” he said.
“Upon seeing the crocodile with the victim still stuck in the jaws, police shot the crocodile.
“However, the bullets didn’t kill the crocodile and it slipped into the river with the victim still stuck in its jaws and escaped.”
In another incident, a man was charged with attempting to rape a woman at Sarota village in the Malalaua local level government last week.
“He had allegedly attacked four women with a bush knife and grabbed one of them in an attempt to rape her,” Chief Supt Maru said.
“However, the rest of the women fought with the man and rescued her. The women sustained knife wounds during the fight and are receiving treatment at the Kerema General Hospital.”
Supt Maru said the women were returning from the market along the Hiritano Highway to their village through a bush track when the man followed and attacked them half way between the highway and the village.