CHUKAI: A 10-year-old boy was injured after he was hit by a pellet, believed to be fired from a neighbour’s air rifle, in an incident at Felda Seberang Tayor near here yesterday.
Kemaman district police chief Supt Mohd Razi Rosli said the incident occurred when the victim was playing with his older brother in front of their house at about 3.45pm.
He said the victim started crying when he felt pain on the left side of his back.
"The victim’s mother checked him and found a reddish mark on the back of his body, and a silver-coloured steel pellet was discovered in front of their house,” he said when contacted on Thursday (March 5).
He said the victim’s father, 36, who is a construction worker, suspected that the pellet was from his opposite neighbour's air rifle.
The boy’s father later lodged a report at the Ayer Putih police station at about 5pm yesterday, after which the suspect was arrested.
"The suspect admitted that he had fired one shot towards his neighbour’s house from about 40 metres through the window of his house, but claimed he did not expect the shot to hit the victim,” he said.
Police seized two air rifles, measuring 123cm and 107cm in length, as well as nine steel pellets.
Initial questioning revealed that one of the air rifles had been purchased via Facebook about a year ago, whereas the other one was made by the suspect. The suspect used the weapons to shoot birds.
Supt Mohd Razi also said a urine test came back positive for morphine, and the suspect has 10 prior records involving criminal and drug-related offences.
"The victim was taken to Kemaman Hospital for treatment, while the suspect has been remanded for four days until Sunday to assist investigations under Section 8 of the Arms Act 1960 and Section 324 of the Penal Code,” he added. - Bernama
