A 35-year-old hunter was arrested after two environmental activists were injured by shotgun pellets at Cape Greco on Wednesday morning, police said on Thursday.
According to police sources, the hunter told investigators he had been hunting in the area and had not noticed the activists or the Game and Fauna Service members with them. An accident is considered the most likely scenario, so he was not brought before a court and is expected to be released on Thursday.
The two men, both 32 and from France, were in a wooded area where hunting is allowed at 7am, along with two members of the Game and Fauna Service and a 31-year-old British environmentalist. Phileleftheros understands that the service had been called to the area to book another person, who had illegally installed a device that mimics birdsong in order to trap birds.
The activists were taken to Famagusta General Hospital, where one was found to have a graze to the head and the other a superficial wound to his right shoulder. Both were later discharged.
Police are investigating how they were hurt. Officers from Famagusta CID and the Criminological Investigation Service at police headquarters examined the scene and collected evidence, establishing that the shot had been fired by the 35-year-old Greek Cypriot hunter. He was arrested under a court warrant at around 8pm on Wednesday and held in custody.
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