A rubber tapper found dead yesterday is believed to have been hit by his own home-made fish bomb and drowned in Sungai Keladi, near Chetok in Pasir Mas.

Pasir Mas OCPD ACP Haliluddin Rahim said Yunus Yusoff, 46, was said to have gone to the river alone, at about 7pm, bringing with him the explosive.

“He is believed to have been hit by the bomb, judging from the injuries to his hands, and fell into the river,” he said.

The body was found by fire and rescue personnel not far from the spot at 9.55am today.

Pasir Mas fire and rescue senior officer Azuhan Ibrahim said his office received a call at 10pm informing them of the incident.

“Ten scuba divers and three officers were dispatched to the scene to search for him. We stopped the operation at 2am and resumed at 9am today,” he said.

The victim’s wife, Azizah Abdul Samad, 42, said she was cooking dinner at home at that time.

“I didn’t even know my husband had gone to the river.”

- Bernama