Bird hunting trip goes wrong when one accidentally killed

IPOH: A bird hunting trip had gone awry for four hunters in Gerik when one of them shot and killed 24-year-old Mohamad Haniff Mat Zabidi after mistaking him for a deer. 

The incident happened at a spot in the forest near the Bintang Hijau rest area along Jalan Kupang, Gerik last Sunday (Feb 18), but Mohamad Haniff's body was discovered on Thursday (Feb 22) afternoon.

Perak Criminal Investigation Department chief Senior Asst Comm Yahya Abd Rahman said the deceased had gone hunting with his three friends using homemade shotguns. 

“During the hunt, the four decided to split up. One of them fired a shot thinking it was a deer and killed Mohamad Haniff on the spot,” he said. 

SAC Yahya said a special team from the Criminal Investigation Department was set up to investigate the case.

He added that they picked up the three suspects - two in their 20s and a 65-year-old man - at 9.30am on Friday (Feb 23) and said that the 65-year-old man has a firearms licence. 

Earlier, Gerik OCPD Supt Ismail Che Isa said the body was discovered lying on its back. 

"His family members said they last saw him on Sunday when he told them he was going hunting," he said, adding that the body had been sent to the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital here for a post-mortem. 

The three hunters have been remanded for five days until Feb 27 to assist in investigations under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.