A COP of Mushindamo is nursing serious injuries from a charging hippo which he tried to put down for terrorising people in the area.
North Western province police commissioner Hudson Namachila confirmed the incident which happened on March 11 at St Dorothy near Kafue River after Inspector Joel Banda’s bullet missed the animal which later turned on him.
Mr Namachila said on receiving reports of the hippo terrorising people, 3 officers were assigned to hunt down the animal led by Inspector Joel Banda.
But the first bullet fired by Mr Banda missed the target and caused the animal to lose its temper and viciously attacked him causing serious bleeding.
“St Dorothy officers were assigned to hunt down the animal that was terrorising the locals but when the first bullet was fired it missed the animal which in turn charged at the inspector causing serious injuries on his body,” he said.
Mr Namachila said the police inspector was beaten by the marauding beast on the ribs and was later rushed to Solwezi General Hospital ICU for emergency treatment although X-ray scan showed that he had no bone fractures.
The commissioner said the inspector was out of danger and the animal was later gunned down by the other 2 officers during the same chase.