JERTIH, May 21 — A man accidentally shot his friend while they were out hunting in Rasil Forest, Hulu Besut, near here early yesterday morning, seriously injuring him.

Besut district police chief Supt Abdul Rozak Muhammad said the 38-year-old man was believed to have shot the 32-year-old victim between midnight and 1am.

"Preliminary investigations found that the suspect and the victim, who are good friends, entered the forest with a shotgun, believed to be homemade, to hunt mouse deer.

"On their way home, the suspect claimed to have accidentally pulled the trigger of the firearm that he was carrying, causing the bullet to hit the victim who was behind the suspect,” he said in a statement today.

He said some 50 ball bearings from the shotgun pellet were found lodged inside the victim’s body, including on the neck and arms.

According to Abdul Rozak, the police received a report about a man who had been shot and was receiving treatment at Besut Hospital at about 2am on the day of the incident.

"The victim was then referred to Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital for further treatment, and his condition was reported to be stable,” he said.

He said the self-employed suspect was arrested on the same day and the shotgun was also confiscated.

Abdul Rozak also said that the suspect’s urine test came back negative for drugs, and he has been remanded for four days until Wednesday to assist in the investigation under Sections 8 and 37 of the Arms Act 1960. — Bernama