There’s growing anger in Lae with members of the pubic calling for the immediate closure of Bumayong and Lae Secondary schools after fresh fighting by students at today.
One person was admitted to hospital with stab wounds and several men, women and children suffered severe cuts and bruises after the bus they were travelling in was stoned by Lae Secondary School Students.
Police later arrested dozens of students. The Morobe Governor, Kelly Naru, has joined the public chorus threatening to impose tough action on school authorities if the students responsible aren’t penalized.
The passengers on the bus didn’t know their trip was going to end up like it did. A woman who was sitting in the third row of seats was one of the first victims of the stoning. The bus caught in a queue of vehicles from Unigate to Eriku was stoned after the crew was accused of ferrying Bumayong students. The woman was struck on her head by stone throwing Lae Secondary School Students in full uniform.
Another young man who sat near the door was stabbed with a wire. He was taken to hospital immediately after the attack. Another was reported to have suffered a dislodged eyeball after he was struck on the eye socket with a rock.
In the bus, this elderly man pictured, still traumatized by the event told us how he was stoned by kids as old as his grandchildren. The bus crew member was also stoned. They drove straight from the scene of the crime to the police station.
Over the last two years, Lae City has seen many cases of fighting by students from various schools. Towards the end of 2012, seventeen-year-old Bugandi student, Daniel Passingan, was stabbed and killed by one group of students.
In 2013, Tobias Ombi, was shot by a police officer during a clash between Lae secondary and Bugandi. Police acted swiftly. Within minutes, they rounded up about 30 Bumayong students who were involved in the fighting. The students were searched for weapons and other illegal items.
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