Papua New Guinea's Deputy Prime Minister Don Polye has been rushed from an election rally by bodyguards after a rival candidate allegedly began firing a pistol into the crowd.
Mr Polye says he would have been a dead man if his police bodyguards and supporters had not shielded him.
The incident happened during a weekend rally in his Kandep electorate, in the Highlands province of Enga.
Mr Polye told the Post Courier newspaper that he saw a candidate firing shots using a revolver.
In Wabag, the provincial police commander said he had heard reports of shots being fired at the deputy prime minister's supporters but he had yet to receive a full report on the incident.
About 2,000 extra police, soldiers and prison are being deployed to the Highlands to provide security during polling from June the 30th to July the 10th.
