Girl Injured by Tear Gas Pellet During Police Crowd Control in Lusaka

A girl from Mtendere Compound sustained injuries after being struck by a pellet from a tear gas canister during a police crowd control operation following an opposition National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP) campaign roadshow in Lusaka. The incident…

A girl from Mtendere Compound sustained injuries after being struck by a pellet from a tear gas canister during a police crowd control operation following an opposition National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP) campaign roadshow in Lusaka.

The incident occurred on Wednesday as police dispersed crowds during a campaign activity involving NRPUP presidential candidate Brian Mundubile and his running mate, Makebi Zulu, in Mtendere Compound.

According to the Zambia Police Service, the girl was not part of the operational area and was standing some distance away from where officers were conducting the crowd management exercise when she was hit on the leg by the pellet.

Police spokesperson Godfrey Chilabi said officers had discharged tear smoke canisters as part of efforts to disperse the crowd.

“During a crowd control and management operation, police officers discharged tear smoke canisters to disperse a crowd. In the process, a pellet from one of the canisters inadvertently struck the leg of a girl from Mtendere Compound, who was at some distance from the operational area,” Chilabi said.

He said the girl was taken to Mtendere Clinic, where she received medical treatment before being discharged.

Meanwhile, the Zambia Police Service has dismissed social media reports alleging that several people were shot and killed during the incident in Kalingalinga and Mtendere compounds.

Chilabi described the reports as false, stating that no fatalities were recorded during the operation.

“The Zambia Police Service wishes to clarify that these claims are false and do not accurately represent what occurred. No life was lost during the incident,” he said.

Police have since launched investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident.