A 16-year-old boy was shot and seriously injured by a joint force of military police, soldiers, fisheries officials and provincial police officers last Wednesday night in Pursat province’s Bakan district. However, district police said yesterday they had no plans to investigate.

Metoek commune police chief Kuy Bora said Roeun Ra, 16, from Battambang’s Ek Phnom district, was shot on his boat while authorities conducted a raid against illegal fishing activities, though Ra had not been fishing at the time, let alone illegally.

“According to the military police, they had asked him to stop and accused him of trawling, but he did not stop. They shot into the air two times, but he kept moving so they aimed at his engine.”

Bora said that Ra’s right cheek was grazed by one bullet, while another went through his left wrist. A report on the incident was filed to provincial and district authorities.

Bakan district police chief Neang Vuth, however, appeared to rule out any investigation yesterday as his forces weren’t directly involved, and because “it is hard to investigate”.

Provincial and military police officials either could not be reached or declined to comment.