TIRUCHY: A 19-year-old youth from Pudukottai died after pellets accidentally got fired from air rifles while he was repairing it at a lathe on Tuesday. P Lakshmanan of Illuppur in Pudukkottai district, used to go for hunting with a country gun along with his uncle Thakkamalai and friend Saravanan, who possessed country rifles.

On Tuesday, when they were repairing rifles at nearby lathe owned by Arumugam at Karamedu, one of the gun accidentally fired and Lakshmanan fell unconcious after being hit on abdomen. He was rushed to the Manapparai GH from where he was referred to Tiruchy GH. However, he died despite treatment. Meanwhile, DIG Manaharan and SP Vandita Pandey, Illuppur RDO and other officials rushed to the spot and held inquiry. Illuppur police registered a case and are investigating.