TEMERLOH, Aug 22 — A Year Six student, feared lost in the forest area near the Lanchang National Youth Skill Institute (IKBN) earlier today, was found about nine hours after he was reported missing.

Temerloh deputy police chief Supt Zundin Mahmood said Muhammad Shamil Ikhwan, 12, was found at about 12.30pm in an oil palm plantation about a kilometre away from where he was last seen.

“He was exhausted, but did not suffer any injury and was sent to Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Hospital for examination,” he told Bernama here.

Zundin said Muhammad Shamil, of Sekolah Kebangsaan Rantau Panjang here, was reported to have left the school about 9.30am for fear that teachers would inform his parents of him playing truant and not doing his schoolwork.

He said a ‘solat hajat’, involving participation of parents, was held at the school today for students sitting for the Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) examination.

“He was seen performing the prayer and then walked out of the school compound towards the forest area,” he said, adding that a report was lodged after teachers failed to locate him.

Following which, a search and rescue operation, involving policemen from the Lanchang police station and the Civil Defence Department, as well as local residents, was mounted. — Bernama