IPOH: A  FORMER Royal Malaysian Air Force personnel was found dead with a gunshot to his head  in an orchard near here yesterday morning, believed to be self-inflicted.

The body of S. Ravindran, 44, was found by a passer-by at Km282 of the North-South Expressway at 11.30am. The incident occurred 1km from his home, where it was learnt that he had shot his stepson on Tuesday.

A Norinco pistol was found near his body, as well as the victim's motorcycle.

Ipoh district police chief Assistant Commissioner Azisman Alias said police believe the victim killed himself.

Police received a call from a farmer yesterday, informing them that he had stumbled on a body at his orchard.

"We went to check and found that it was the same suspect involved in the shooting case yesterday (Tuesday)."

He said Ravindran had gone into hiding after the Tuesday incident.

In the 4.30pm incident on Tuesday, R. Hariharen, 15, was shot in his left leg when he tried to intervene during an argument between the suspect, who is his step-father, and his mother at their home in Laluan Panorama Rapat Indah here.

It was believed that the suspect had earlier attempted to shoot his wife following a misunderstanding.

Hariharen, a student of SM Sri Ampang, when met at Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital here on Tuesday evening, said he was shot at while trying to prevent Ravindran from shooting his mother.