7 Butchered In Kumasi …Three Houses Burnt

HELL NEARLY broke loose on Tuesday as the police tried to evict hundreds of squatters of Dagoma Line, a suburb of Kumasi. The angry residents did not only resist the eviction effort by the police, but also set fire to some structures, and openly engaged the police in a fight.

The squatters started the open-brawl by throwing stones, metals and other deadly objects at the police, who then ‘fought back’ in self-defense, resulting in several injuries.

THE NEW PUBLISHER gathered that the police visited the area, in the company of a landlord who had reportedly secured a court order, and tried to enforce the order when trouble started.

This prompted the police, who looked overwhelmed at the level of violent resistance, to retreat and later call for reinforcement.

Within minutes, dozens of armed policemen invaded the Dagomba Line area, firing warning shots, which sent most of the squatters running for dear lives.

Key Arrests

Checks made by the paper after the clashes indicate that the security agents managed to apprehend some of the leaders of the squatters.

A police source, who demanded anonymity, confirmed that some of the squatters were in police grips but refused to disclose names.

Meanwhile, there was tension at the Dagomba Line when this report was being filed on Tuesday afternoon, even though police had taken control of the area.