Lae Metropolitan Commander Chief Superintendent, Anthony Wagambie, says police have yet to confirm several reported casualties yesterday morning, following a clash that started over the weekend at the Boundary road area.
However, they can confirm that one man is dead, while 20 others were seriously injured. Several houses were razed over the weekend.
Wagambie, says those who created this problem will be dealt with accordingly.
Lae police reported that the fighting started on Saturday after a youth demanded a group of people who were gambling, to give him some money.
The youth were then attacked by the people who were harassed.
It was there that the fighting escalated when both factions of the people involved joined the clash.
Several months ago, a similar clash erupted in the same area. As a result, two men were killed, seven were reportedly hospitalised, and several houses were torched.
Families were forced to seek temporary refuge in a makeshift care centre.
Last month the two parties involved in the clash were preparing for a peace reconciliation.
Lae Metropolitan Commander Chief Superintendent, Anthony Wagambie, has directed his officers to locate and arrest individuals who started this problem, including those allegedly involved in recent cases of murder and arson.
He is encouraging leaders of both groups to bring back normalcy. Police are still in the area, and will deal with perpetrators from both factions.
Wagambie says, this conflict has resurfaced after a lot of effort was put into bringing back peace and normalcy.
