By Yang Ater Yang
A 21-year-old man, under the influence of alcohol, killed his younger sister and injured ten others by detonating a hand grenade at home.
The incident occurred in Kadula village, Yirol West County, on Wednesday, according to police officials.
Major Elijah Mabor Makuac, the spokesperson for Lakes State Police, confirmed to No. 1 Citizen Daily newspaper on Thursday that the young man quarreled with family members after returning home intoxicated.
In a fit of rage, he threw a hand grenade, which exploded, resulting in the death of his 15-year-old sister and serious injuries to ten others, including himself.
“All the victims were evacuated to Yirol West County Hospital for treatment following the incident,” Major Makuac reported. “The man is currently hospitalized under police supervision and will be investigated once he recovers.”
The grenade belonged to the suspect’s late father, a soldier who had passed away and had not been surrendered to the authorities after his death.
“When a soldier dies, any military property, including weapons, should be handed over to their unit or reported to the nearest police station,” Major Makuac emphasized.
Angelina Adhel, chairperson of the Civil Society Network in Lakes State, expressed deep concern over the incident.
“If such issues are still existing, and if the deceased has lost his life. It is better for those materials which belong to him because these are non-trained and he has passed and has been trained on how to use those weapons but with his absentia. It is better for the family member who knows exactly what he has, and he could have been a better person to return to the government and whoever concerned or responsible for this person,” she said.
Adhel highlighted the risks posed by untrained family members, especially those who may be intoxicated or mentally unstable.
“If we still have those things in the community and in the family then let us try to project what will happen to the community because we all know we have drunkard family members, and we all know we have our brothers who are absent-minded and these people may use violence in a very negative way to destruct the family,” she added.
She called on the government of Lakes State to raise awareness about the dangers of retaining military property and to encourage communities to take action.
The local authorities are continuing their investigation into the incident, aiming to prevent similar tragedies in the future.