One person died and another was injured when gunshots were fired during an altercation at a hooch den in Malda district on Tuesday evening.

Sources said the altercation had started between Niranjan Das, 40, who runs the hooch den, and a group of drunkards at Radhanathtola village under the jurisdiction of Baishnabnagar police station.

Pradip Karmakar, a 50-year-old migrant worker who recently returned to the village, was present at the spot.

“During the altercation, one of the drunkards took out a firearm and fired at Niranjan,” said Bhriguram Das, a relative of Niranjan.

The bullet hit Niranjan in his chest. “When Pradip rushed to rescue him, a second bullet was fired and he, too, was hit in the chest,” he added.

After the incident, the group fled the spot.

Villagers took the injured duo to the rural hospital in Bedrabad. The two were later referred to the Malda Medical College & Hospital (MMCH).

On the way to MMCH, Pradip succumbed to his injuries. Niranjan was admitted and is under treatment in a critical condition.

Police reached the village and conducted raids to nab the attackers, who were from the same locality.

In the past one month, this is the third incident in the district when people have died after being shot.

On January 2, armed men had gunned down Trinamool Congress leader Dulal Sarkar in Malda.

On January 14, Hasu Haque, a TMC worker, was shot dead and two other party leaders were injured when bullets were fired by the henchmen of another TMC leader.

A Trinamool leader said the police should find out how criminals were getting illegal firearms.