BHOJPUR: Police said on Wednesday that they have arrested a person who fatally shot his friend mistaking him for a deer, in Bhojpur district, on Wednesday.

Earlier, Yogendra Rai (27) of Dobhane-8 in Bhojpur district who was reported missing was found dead in a nearby Pesja forest on Saturday.

The District Police Office said Madan Bahadur Rai (47) and Yogendra of the same place had gone to the nearby forest to collect firewood on January 7. Both of them carried loaded homemade guns.

Madan Bahadur mistook Yogendra for a deer and opened fire at the mistaken target in the woods in the dusk of January 10, according to preliminary investigation.

Seeing the latter hit by bullet, Madan Bahadur realised the mistake and fled the scene. He was on the run till police arrested him today.

Relatives and police had carried out a search operation after Yogendra went missing for a long time, only to find his body with bullet injuries on Saturday. Two loaded guns were also found at the site.