One Unitech student is dead and buildings destroyed by fire in a fresh round of violence at the University of Technology in Lae.
In what the university described as a targeted attack, the first year student was killed in his room by his attackers.
Police were called in to disperse students but not before the SRC president’s house, the mess and two other buildings were torched.
The reasons for last night’s attack have not been fully established. But there has been tension between student factions since the last attack on a student earlier this month when a forum was held to begin the resumption of class.
The student was attacked in his dormitory room with knives. He was brought to hospital last night and died hours later.
Tensions remain high within the university campus even with police presence. EMTV News was advised by police not to film inside the campus.
It is understood the group then proceeded to burn the SRC president’s residence, a building used by the distance learning program and then the university’s mess.
Tensions escalated into the night and after midnight, police were called on to the campus to disperse the students.
Starting this morning, students began leaving campus under heavy police guard. There is no official word as to what will happen with the second half of the year.
However, with the mess totally destroyed, the University appears to have very little hope of facilitating the resumption of class any time in the next month.
Police will continue to monitor the situation on campus.
