An unidentified youth on Tuesday evening suddenly opened fire at two persons in the red-light area of Alipurduar town, killing one and injuring the other, only to be caught by a mob and fatally thrashed.

The youth first opened fire at an elderly woman, Kaushalya Mahato, at a paan shop, killing her instantly as the bullet pierced her head.

The assailant then went some distance away and opened fire at a teenage boy, Bishwarabi Das, injuring him in the leg.

The firings took place at Samajpara in ward 10 of the town.

After the initial chaos and shock, a crowd of bystanders chased the assailant through ward 13, caught him near the Alipurduar district hospital and then thrashed him
mercilessly.

Police rescued him and admitted him to the hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries soon after with the law enforcers still in the dark about his identity.

The injured teenager was also admitted to the hospital. He needs surgery on his leg, doctors have said.

The police sent the woman's body to the hospital for an autopsy and recovered the firearm used by the assailant.