Stray bullets kill, injure locals during struggle

 By JAMES APA GUMUNO

A MAN was killed and another was seriously injured from stray police bullets in Banz, Jiwaka, last Saturday during a struggle with drunkards resisting arrest.

Provincial police commander Supt Joseph Tondop said two of his policemen suffered minor injuries after they were attacked by drunkards.

Tondop said the drunkards, from a nearby village, collected fees illegally from vendors at the market and from people doing roadside businesses so police intervened.

He said when police tried to arrest the drunkards, they put up a fight.

A policemen fired warning shots into the air. Unfortunately, the bullets ricocheted off an iron post and hit a young man on the head, who died on the way to the Kudjip Hospital, Tondop said.

He said another stray bullet hit an old man’s arm and he was taken to the Mt Hagen Hospital. He was released later.

Tondop said the deceased was from Sinasina, while the injured man was from Gumine district, both in Chimbu.

“An investigation is being conducted to establish the cause of the incident, officer in-charge of the criminal investigation division based in Minj is working on the matter,” he said.

“I sympathise with relatives of the deceased, on behalf of the police force, and urge them to respect the rule of law and allow normal process to take its own course and wait for the outcome of the investigation,” he said.

Business activities in Banz town were returning to normal yesterday after Saturday when all the shops and the market closed as early as 8am.