Madikeri: A hunter, mistaking a man to be a wild animal shot and killed him at Yemmetalu village, Madikeri taluk in Kodagu district yesterday evening.

While the deceased has been identified as Ranjith Machaiah (31), a resident of Yemmetalu village, the hunter who reportedly shot Ranjith is 40-year-old Kalimada Dinesh, who is absconding.

Yesterday, evening, Ranjith and Dinesh had gone for hunting separately and at about 6 pm, Dinesh had allegedly fired on Ranjith, mistaking him to be a wild boar resulting in Ranjith being killed on the spot.

Villagers, who came to know about the incident at about 9 pm, brought the dead body to Madikeri General Hospital mortuary.

A case has been registered at Madikeri Rural Police Station in this regard.