Berhampur/Phulbani: A Class 10 student was accidentally shot dead by one of his companions during a recent late-night hunting expedition in Budeni village under Tikabali police limits in Odisha’s Kandhamal district’s Chakapad block.
The deceased has been identified as Bibhuti Kanhar (16), a student of Ranpatuli High School in Khajuripada block who had recently appeared for his Class X board examinations. The firing incident took place in the nearby Kamuti forest area on Saturday night.
According to sources, two youths from Budeni village — Pratap Kanhar (30) and Suman Bindhan (25) — visited Bibhuti’s house late on Saturday night and persuaded him to join them for a hunting trip. Ignoring the repeated warnings from his family, the teenager accompanied the duo into the forest.
Pratap was carrying a country-made gun borrowed from another villager, while Suman had his own unlicensed firearm along with additional hunting equipment, including an axe. At around midnight, two rounds were fired and a bullet from Pratap’s gun struck Bibhuti near his right eye, exiting from the back of his head, killing him instantly.
The two companions allegedly fled the scene soon after the incident. Pratap returned the borrowed gun to its owner before going into hiding, while Suman informed Bibhuti’s family about the incident. The matter came to light on Sunday morning when the boy’s father, Madhaba Kanhar, lodged a complaint at Tikabali police station.
A police team promptly reached the spot, recovered the body, and sent it to Phulbani district headquarters hospital for postmortem.
Tikabali police station Sameer Kumar Behera said that Suman has been detained for questioning, while Pratap is absconding. The two unlicensed country-made guns along with other weapons have been seized, and scientific team from Boudh also visited the crime scene to assist in the investigation.
