Two people, including a woman, sustained bullet injuries after a gang of local criminals opened fire in Chittagong city's Nandankanun during Durga Puja celebrations early yesterday.

The incident took place inside the Lokonath Mandir at Lane No1 of Nandankanon under Kotwali Police Station around 2:30am.

Local residents said tension had been prevailing in the area for the past few days as a criminal group led by one Niloy was trying to establish supremacy there after the arrest of a rival - a Jubo League (JL) activist named Amit Muhuri.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) SM Mostain Hossen of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP)'s South Zone told The Daily Star, “On Friday midnight Niloy and his cohorts went to the area and opened fire leaving the woman and the youth injured.”

“He fled the spot before police arrived,” the DC  said adding that police were trying to arrest him.

The injured Krishna Das, 42, and Shaon Hossain, 20, were treated at Chittagong Medical College Hospital.

Krishna is the secretary of Lokonath Mandir and a member of the Trustee Board of the temple while Shaon is a private employee.