A Year Six female pupil of a school here was injured after being hit by 13 shotgun pellets accidentally shot by a neighbour at her home in Kampung Lubuk Keriang, Mukim Lesong, Langgar here, yesterday afternoon.

Kota Setar District Police chief ACP Mohd Rozi Jidin said Nur Syahida Bakar, 12, was having a meal with her parents and two siblings in the kitchen around 6.30pm when they heard shots coming through the back door which was ajar.

He said the victim''s father Bakar Saad, 45, saw shotgun pellets on the refrigerator and noticed that his daughter was injured.

"Soon after, two men arrived with a shotgun, apologising for hitting the wrong target as they had intended to shoot birds," he said in a statement here today.

He said Bakar who was not satisfied with the men's explanation lodged a report at Kota Setar Police Headquarters.

The victim sustained four shotgun pellets in the chest, two each in the head, right shoulder and right calf, and one each in the thigh, left calf and right arm.

According to Mohd Rozi, the girl is in stable condition at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital here.

He said police detained the two suspects aged 52 and 46 years, and the owner of the Topper shotgun, aged 74 years who had a valid licence for the firearm.

"The gun owner was later released as he was not involved in the incident and was not aware that his son had taken the weapon. The case is being investigated under Section 37 of the Arms Act 1960," he said.

He also cautioned gun owners to keep the weapons in a safe place to prevent others from using them illegally and endangering lives.

-- BERNAMA