Police had earlier said Pradeep Mandal, who was fired upon by two motorcycle-borne assailants at Sarsopahi Bazaar on Monday, had died.

A senior police officer clarified that Mandal, 36, who received two bullet injuries, is still alive and undergoing treatment at Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital.

“The journalist has been operated upon and his condition has improved. He is out of danger,” Superintendent of Police (SP), Madhubani, Satya Prakash said.

G C Karn, head of the Department of Surgery at the hospital, said while one bullet was removed after operation, another lodged near the kidney could not be extracted as it could cause complications.

The SP claimed the assailants have been identified and a hunt was on for them.

He said the assailants had criminal antecedents.

Satya Prakash said police will move court to secure orders for attaching their properties if efforts to apprehend them did not materialise by Tuesday evening.

IG (Darbhanga) Pankaj Darad, who is monitoring the case, said two policemen and a chowkidar have been deployed at the Madhubani residence of the journalist.

According to some accounts, the assailants were involved in illegal trade of liquor and were angry with Mandal for highlighting their activities.

Total prohibition exists in the state since 2016. PTI CORR AR RMS SK