WELLINGTON, June 13 (Xinhua) -- A candidate contesting the general elections in Papua New Guinea later this month has been stabbed to death, while Deputy Prime Minister Don Polye escaped an assassination attempt, reported local media Wednesday.

    The two incidents happened in different locations in Enga Province earlier this week.

    The National, a local daily newspaper, said Ananias Popo, who was standing for the Chuave Open seat in Chimbu province was stabbed to death in Wabag on Monday afternoon.

    The paper reported that he was in Enga to visit his family, when he was attacked by a man who demand he pay for renovations done on his in a village just outside Wabag.

    During a weekend rally in his Kandep electorate, in Enga, Deputy Prime Minister Don Polye was rushed from a rally by bodyguards after a rival candidate allegedly began firing a pistol into the crowd.

    Around 2,000 extra police, soldiers and prison officers are being deployed to provide security during polling from June 30 to July 10.

    PNG's Police Commissioner Garis Bakri said the heavy security presence was designed to prevent a repeat of the widespread violence and vote rigging that marred the 2002 elections in the Highlands.

    A total of 2,740 candidates are contesting the 109 seats in PNG' s parliament.