Superintendent of Police, Birbhum district, Laxmi Narayan Meena said the two criminals armed with pipe-guns broke into the room of the students at Ratan Pally near the university campus at about 3:AM and demanded money.

"When the two final year students of Kala Bhavan, Illiad and Eusuf, declined to pay, a scuffle broke out. The criminals opened fire, injuring both of them," he said.

Illiad suffered a serious bullet injury in the chest and another bullet pierced Eusuf's arm, he said. Both of them have been shifted to Mission Hospital in Durgapur.

"One of the attackers, Sajjad was bolted from outside in a room by other occupants of the house and Saheb fled with his gun. Both have been arrested and their arms were seized," Meena said.