A wave of terror has gripped Idupa village in Olio sub-county, Serere district, as a string of mysterious stabbing incidents has left locals reeling in fear.
The latest victim, 35-year-old Okello Marks, a primary teacher and resident of Omodoi in Odungura, Serere, was stabbed on his neck while sleeping at 4am on Friday morning.
This incident marks the third of its kind in just two months with an 18-year-old S.3 student, Apio Scovia, and a Primary Six pupil, Iwonu Joce Mary, falling victim to similar attacks on June 12 and 12 April , respectively.
The assailants remain unknown in all cases.
Locals are pointing fingers at the police, whose station is located opposite the crime scene, for their perceived inaction.
"Imagine police is just here and even we made alarms at night but no police came out to rescue us," locals say.
Kenneth Adyamet, the LC 3 Chairman of Olio sub-county, has expressed concern over the rising trend and is seeking answers on how to address it.
"I am thinking these are Marijuana smokers but I don't know how to handle this issue."
Martine Ongurucho, a former MP aspirant, notes that while such incidents have occurred in the past, they have always been isolated to specific areas.
Police spokesperson for East Kyoga, Edison Ebukulem has assured that investigations are underway, revealing that a case of attempted murder was registered at Amakiyo police post and the victim was referred to Serere Health Center before being transferred to Soroti.
As the search for the perpetrator continues, residents of Idupa village and surrounding areas are living in fear, demanding justice and increased security measures to curb the escalating violence.
The community has been urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the authorities.
The police have also assured that they are doing everything in their power to apprehend the culprit and restore peace to the area.
In the meantime, locals are left to mourn the loss of their loved ones and wonder when the violence will end.
