Mandi, Aug 7: A man suffered serious injuries after being shot during a party in a forest area under Balh tehsil of Mandi district on Tuesday evening. The injured, Kamal Thakur, was hit by pellets on his back, in what police suspect may have been linked to illegal hunting activity.
According to police sources, Kamal had ventured into the forest with two friends for an evening party. The incident occurred when he stepped away from the group to attend to nature’s call. Moments later, his friends heard a loud noise resembling a gunshot. Rushing to the scene, they found Kamal lying injured with pellet wounds.
He was first taken to Nerchowk Medical College but was later referred to PGI Chandigarh due to the serious nature of his injuries, officials said.
While illegal hunting is being considered a likely cause, police are not ruling out other possibilities. A case has been registered under the Arms Act, and the investigation is ongoing.
“We are also looking into whether the group was carrying weapons or if there were other individuals present in the area during the incident,” said a senior officer involved in the probe. Police have begun questioning local villagers to gather more details about any suspicious activity in the area around the time of the shooting.
Mandi SP Sakshi Verma confirmed the registration of a case and said, “A detailed investigation is underway. The accused will be arrested soon.”
The incident has sparked concern among residents about the safety of forested areas, which are sometimes used for recreational gatherings but are also vulnerable to poaching and illegal firearm activity.
