Shoot out in Madang leaves two dead

Superintendent Robert Baim warned that anyone using illegal weapons to block public movement will face the full force of the law (Image: Supplied)

A shoot-out between Madang police and armed criminals along the Naru section of the Bruce Jephcott [Madang/ Ramu] Highway on Thursday this week has left two criminals dead.

Madang’s police chief, Superintendent Robert Baim, confirmed the incident today stating the criminals were amongst members of the community that had looted a highway truck, which had encountered mechanical problems whilst traveling into Madang from Lae.

The 20-footer container truck was loaded with cartons of Besta tinned fish, however; encountered mechanical faults at Negeri and ran off the road.

PPC Baim said the locals chased the driver and his crew away into the bushes, set upon the truck, and emptied the container of all cartons.

"Whilst the women, children, and others were busy carrying the looted items away to their hamlets, youths stripped the truck of its valuable parts and harassed highway commuters who were passing at that time," Baim said.

Locals stripped the truck and carried off looted goods to nearby villages (Image: Supplied)

Police received word of the incident via mobile phone after lunch on Thursday, and dispersed a Task Force Unit to the site.

Superintendent Baim said, "Upon arrival at Naru, policemen managed to disperse the opportunists, secure the accident site, as well as save the driver and his assistant. Minutes later, the frustrated local villagers retaliated and attacked my policemen with offensive weapons, including homemade guns, rails, wire catapults, bush knives, etc."

He added that the stand-off between the policemen and local people lasted for about an hour, with the community attacking the officers from all directions, as the police were outnumbered.

"Reinforcement was called in from town, and they arrived at the accident site between 3 and 4 pm and smashed into the fight. Upon seeing the extra policemen arriving, the people fled in all directions. My policemen were outnumbered during the nasty confrontation with the armed locals, resulting in two of their armed men being shot by police," said PPC Baim.

Police had labelled the police attackers as "domestic terrorists".

PPC Baim further instructed his policemen that, "Anyone trying to restrain freedom of movement for the general public using illegal weapons will be eliminated from the surface of the earth. The law is there to safeguard everyone, and if you go against it, the law will go against you with full authority."