28 May 2013

PNG student killed as police break up Lae school brawl

4:06 pm on 28 May 2013

A high school student in Papua New Guinea's second city, Lae, has been killed by what is believed to be a stray bullet from a gun fired by police who were trying to break up a fight with students from another school.

A second student is fighting for his life in Lae's Angau Memorial Hospital.

He was also shot.

Both students are from Bugandi Secondary School, whose students have frequently clashed with students from Lae Secondary school.

Another Bugandi student died late last year as the result of fights involving another school.

Our correspondent says the school fighting appear to involve cult groups that have developed within the schools.

Todagia Kelola says police were caught in the middle of the two student groups which had armed themselves with bush knives and other tools.

He says it is understood police fired warning shots to disperse the students and this led to the fatality.