Peringome (Kannur): A young man was found shot dead in a rubber plantation at Vellora in Kannur. The deceased has been identified as Sijo Thomas (37), a resident of Edakkom.

Preliminary investigations suggest that Sijo was accidentally shot while on a hunting trip with a friend. The friend, Shine Chenamattam, has been taken into police custody in connection with the incident. Authorities have also seized the locally made firearm used for shooting, the kind commonly used to hunt wild boars, for examination as part of the inquiry.

Sijo was found with the gunshot wound on his chest around 5 am on Sunday.

The police investigations are ongoing to determine whether any other factors contributed to the incident.