An almost quiet and peaceful Easter weekend on Daru Island was marred by the people and opportunists who gathered in a riot and caused major destruction to property in frustration over the death of a young man at sea recently.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Border Command, Peter Phillip said this was after reports of a boat collision at sea causing the death.
“Allegedly two (2) dinghies collided on Friday night, between the hours of 8 and 9:30pm. There was a passenger on one of the dinghies that fell off and got killed.”
The deceased had sustained large lacerations from the propeller of the Dinghy, causing his death. The body of the deceased is currently being held at the Daru General Hospital.
ACP Phillip advised that the riots that followed the next day (Saturday) was after word about the death reaching relatives of the deceased.
He said this caused a huge ruckus when the relatives of the deceased and opportunists decided to march into town and destroy buildings and businesses the next day.
“They mobilized and went up to town as early as 5am on Saturday but Police at the Daru Police Station spoke to them and they went back.”
Even after Police had advised for the aggrieved family members to return home and wait till the commencement of the investigations, the rioters later returned and looted almost all shops in town, whilst attempting an attack on the Police station.
Heavily outnumbered, the officers were forced to retreat to the barracks where they stood their ground till everything died down.
At the moment, police have apprehended 4 suspects in the case of the Boat incident and investigation are soon to be underway.