Shootout happens in bid to move boxes

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ATTEMPTS by police officers and soldiers to transfer the 84 disputed ballot boxes of the Southern Highlands regional seat from Mendi police station to Mt Hagen resulted in a shootout on Sunday.
Roadblocks have been put up at sections of the national highway and other roads leading into Mendi town since Saturday afternoon.
A group of policemen and soldiers who tried to remove the boxes from Mendi police station were confronted by supporters of people who had contested
the Southern Highlands regional seat in the last general election.
Assistant commissioner of police (western command) Mark Yangen said church services were disrupted and the movement of people and vehicles came to a standstill.
Southern Highlands provincial health authority chief executive Dr Joseph Birisi confirmed that four people were treated for wounds and discharged.
Yangen said police officers and soldiers were stationed around town but they were unable to move the ballot boxes because of the presence of supporters of the unssucessful candidates.