A youth died in Salyan after a hunting rifle misfired late Monday.

A sixteen-year-old boy died after the hunting rifle carried by local Aaite Rawat, 40, misfired while they were hunting in the Bahundanda forest of Kupinde-9.

The victim had sustained gunshots in his stomach and neck.

The victim died on his way, near Warghat of Kupinde-7, to the Karnali Province Hospital in Surkhet for treatment, said Inspector Santosh Khanal, who is also the information officer at Salyan District Police Office.

The body has been sent to Salyan District Hospital for post-mortem, Khanal added.

The accused is on the run.

Further investigation into the matter is underway, and a search for the accused and the weapon is ongoing, police said.