A 26-year-old man died reportedly after a muzzleloader gun accidentally discharged at Sanghu Lekuwa in ward 3 of Maiwakhola Rural Municipality, Taplejung, on Saturday.

The deceased has been identified as resident Phurwa Renji Sherpa, said Deputy Superintendent of Police Bed Prasad Gautam, chief of the District Police Office, Taplejung.

Acting on information provided by ward chair Khagendra Singh Thaklung, police found Sherpa dead in a large cardamom field belonging to Tilok Singh Limbu.

According to Sonam Sherpa, 18, the nephew who was with the deceased, the gun went off suddenly while it was being loaded with gunpowder, hitting Sherpa in the neck and killing him on the spot. Sonam has been taken into police custody for investigation.

A team led by Police Inspector Deepak Limbu from the Area Police Office, Dobhan, and Assistant Sub Inspector Pradeep Kumar Madhuban from the Sanghu police post has been deployed to the site to carry out further investigation.