A student of the University of Cape Coast nearly had his right leg severed when a stray bullet from the AK47 rifle of a policeman hit him.

The student was among a mob of students who had been beating up an alleged thief on the university campus.

Joy FM correspondent Richard Kojo Nyarko reported that the policeman was called in to prevent the mob from lynching the suspect.

The students are said to have taken to their heals when the policeman approached wielding the rifle.

But a muscular man, also a student, who did not understand the intervention of the police, is said to have attacked the policeman.

A struggle ensued between the two and in the process the gun went gone off, injuring the victim.

The police officer is said to have been locked up in police custody while investigation into the matter begins.