GOROKA, PNG (ABC Pacific Beat/Pacific Media Watch): Students protesting at a university in eastern Papua New Guinea have been shot at during a confrontation with police, a student there has said.
Local media reported at least two students were taken to hospital with gunshot wounds after clashes at the University of Goroka in Eastern Highlands province.
Shantel Lui, a student at the university, told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat programme the protesters were marching on Thursday to call for the resignation of vice-chancellor Dr Gairo Onagi.
"This morning the whole student body went out and marched without the police authority," she said.
"They became violent, the students, and the police went in and started harassing the students.
"The students fought back and [police] shot two students."
Several other students were reportedly treated for injuries at Goroka Base Hospital.
5 students detained
Local media said police detained five student leaders over the incident.
Images posted on Facebook showed damage to the campus, including broken windows and kitchen appliances on fire.
A father of one of the students there, Richard Brunton, posted a message on Facebook claiming his daughter had locked herself in her room on campus during the incident.
"My daughter is at University of Goroka and is locked up in her dorm as police have come on campus and shot two students," he said.
Onagi said police advised students their march was illegal because they had not consulted authorities beforehand.
"The students were rowdy because they did not achieve their intentions of a protest march," he said in a statement.
"In the process there was a confrontation between the disgruntled students and the police."
The vice chancellor confirmed a "handful" of students were injured in the confrontation and dismissed online reports that two students were killed.
"Minor injuries were sustained by a handful of students, including security personnel," he said.
"There were no deaths as speculated on social media.
"Students were sent to the hospital for treatment."
A leader from the nearby Okiufa village has called for calm.
The ABC has contacted PNG police for a response.
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Pacific Media Watch
