Boy dies in oil palm plucking freak accident

BAGAN DATUK: The holiday joy of a 12-year-old boy who went to pluck oil palm fruits with his grandfather turned into tragedy when he was killed in a freak accident involving the sickle that was used by his grandfather to pluck the fruits at Kampung Sungai Tiang Darat, here this evening.
Hilir Perak district police chief ACP Mohd Marzukhi Mohd Mokhtar said in the incident which occurred around 2 pm, Mohd Riduan Hakim Abd Rashid, a Year Six student of Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Tiang Darat was hit by the sickle which had bounced from an oil palm fruit, thrusting the left side of his chest.
"Initial investigation revealed that following the school break, the victim had gone to pluck palm fruits at 9.30 am.
"However, when plucking the fruit, suddenly the sickle and stick held by his grandfather fell with a fruit, causing it to bounce and hit the victim's chest," he said in a statement tonight.
Mohd Marzukhi said the victim was rushed to the nearest clinic and was pronounced dead before he was sent to the Teluk Intan Hospital for post-mortem.
"The police were notified of Mohd Riduan Hakim's death at 3.45 pm," he said. — Bernama