BY MIRIAM ZARRIGA
Police and Correctional Services officers were attacked by locals in Tsak Valley, Enga Province, last Friday.
The attack came when locals disrupted the removal of a ballot box from a polling site in the valley.
Two units made up of the police Mobile Squad 04 and a Correctional Services unit came under attack while returning from the polling place.
They left the ballot box behind at the polling place after supporters for rival candidates showed their differences on how the ballot box should be transported to Wabag.
The security personnel decided to leave the box and on their way back came to a road block.
The locals removed the culvert and created a big drain to prevent the movement of the personnel.
As soon as they stopped, stones were thrown, injuring a policeman and a warder.
They heard noises of people hitting bush knives on the ground and shouting as they advanced forward. The personnel took cover between their own vehicles and reversed to the higher ground. The locals opened fire and gunfire was exchanged.
It was until men from two vehicles that were providing escort to Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia came and talked to the locals and cleared the area.
The personnel were taken to the Chief Justice’s residence and took cover. A Defence Force unit was sent to the area later, made a temporary bridge and assisted the police and prison officers back to Wabag.
It was learnt the before in the day during voting, a man was killed by disgruntled supporters in the area.
Provincial Police Commander George Kakas said that the two injured were rushed to Mt Hagen with police personnel flown to Port Moresby to receive care.
He stressed that the issue was a misunderstanding between a candidate’s supporters.
“The security personnel wanted clearance from the Returning officer so decided not to retrieve the box, they returned and were ambushed.”
There is no issue now with Tsak valley returning to normalcy Mr Kakas said.