GAIGHAT: A forest security personnel died in a freak accident as a the barrel of a gun he found in the forest exploded in Udayapur district, on Wednesday night.

Information officer Jageshwar Sah at District Forest Office, Udayapur identified the deceased as Lekhnath Bastola of Duhabi Municipality in Sunsari district. Bastola was based at Sub Division Forest Office, Tapeshwari in Belaka Municipality-1.

Bastola was taking out a muzzleloader gun from a patrol vehicle in front of the gate of the Sub Division Forest Office when suddenly the gun exploded, according to the chief at Udayapur District Police Office (DPO), Superintendent of Police (SP) Bhim Bahadur Dahal. Tiny particles of gunpowder from the explosion got to Bastola killing him at 10:00 pm yesterday, SP Dahal said.

Police have yet to learn where the forest security personnel found the gun, the SP said.

Meanwhile, investigation into the case is underway.