Stabbing over K2 results in fight among three villages

THREE youths are recovering in the Nonga General Hospital from stab wounds sustained in Rabaul town over a week that saw fighting among three villages.
Three suspects over the initial two stabbings were handed over to police last week by the Malaguna 1 villagers.
The confrontation among the three villages saw SSM and Matupit fight against Malaguna 1 on Saturday and continued until Monday morning because K2 was not handed over to three youths from Malaguna 1.
East New Britain police commander Chief Insp Joseph Tabali said that the fights were contained by police who were maintaining a presence along the Malaguna Road and Mango Avenue.
Both roads lead to Malaguna 1, SSM and Matupit.
Chief Insp Tabali told The National that the initial stabbing of two youths from Matupit was because of their refusal to give K2 to three youths from Malaguna 1 a week ago.
“The incident occurred at the Rabaul Market,” he said.
“The two youths were asked for K2, one of the youths refused and both were stabbed.
“On Saturday, another youth from Matupit was stabbed, this angered the people of Matupit who entered Rabaul town and a fight broke out.
“The SSM youths were involved when an elderly woman, who was doing her marketing at the Rabaul Market, was attacked, breaking her arm in the process.
“Another youth – a crew of a bus, also from SSM – was attacked and thrown out of the bus, breaking his jaw.”
“This saw youths from SSM and Matupit team up and fight with the youths from Malaguna 1,” he said.