Rayagada: A youth was killed during wild boar hunting near Khaliajodi village under Andirakanch police limits in Rayagada district. So far 18 villagers have been arrested Thursday in this connection.
Sources said that a group of 19 people had embarked on hunting of wild boars Wednesday. During the hunt some mistook the youth as a wild boar and shot him killing the youth on the spot. The deceased was identified as Khageswar Jhadia.
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Rayagada SP Saravana Vivek M said that some youths of the village had gone to the forest to hunt wild boar. They opened fire after hearing a sound. However, they shot Jhadia by mistake killing him on the spot.
To cover up the incident, other members of the group returned to the village and gave some money to the family members of the deceased. Later, they took the body for cremation. The villagers were determined to cover up the incident, but then police got to know about the development.
They arrived at the cremation ground and seized the half-burnt body of the deceased and sent it for post-mortem.
The police team also took into custody 18 people involved and seized the gun. A probe in this regard is under way.
PNN