Two toddlers axed to death

National, Normal

AN infant and a three-year-old girl were among the four travellers axed to death on Wednesday afternoon at a  roadblock in Ipanda village, on the Laiagam-Wabag border in Enga province.
One of the two men axed to death was a primary school teacher from Papiuk tribe in Enga province.
According to Wabag police station commander Snr Insp Albert Beli, the man died yesterday morning at the Wabag General Hospital.
Insp Beli said the two men and a woman received axe wounds on their legs and backs and were admitted to the hospital’s intensive care unit.
Two other men and a woman received treatment for minor injuries and were discharged.
Insp Beli said several women passengers were raped while some women and children were still missing.
He said police went to the site of the roadblock yesterday to investigate and confirm the exact number of women raped or had gone missing.
Insp Beli said these victims were innocent travellers.
He said 10 PMVs had their windscreen and side glasses smashed while the passengers were attacked, robbed and raped by the Kunalin tribesmen.
One sub-clan of Kunalin set an illegal roadblock at Ipanda village, around 4.30pm and attacked the travelling public with bush knives and axes,  Insp Beli said.
He said the clansmen had been unhappy about a decision of a mediation handed down by the peace and good order committee.
Insp Beli said the mediation was between two sub-clans of the Kunalin tribe.
He said the quick response of police prevented many more deaths and the roadblock was cleared but no one was arrested.
Police have warned the public not to use the road until they have completely restored peace in the area.
Chief executive officer of the Wabag General Hospital Salan Ere confirmed yesterday that three people were seriously injured and admitted in the hospital.
Mr Ere said two elderly men nearly died after receiving axe wounds on their backs.
The blades of the axe penetrated through their bodies and nearly cut their hearts.
He said an elderly woman had her right leg chopped off, adding that they were all in critical condition at the hospital.
Mr Ere said another woman also received axe wounds on her shoulder but she was in stable condition and managed to talk.