A fire-watcher at Valmikinagar Tiger Reserve (VTR) died on the spot while a tiger-tracker suffered serious injuries when about six criminals, suspected to be poachers, opened fire at a fire fighting team returning from a routine patrol late on Thursday night.

The incident occurred near Jata Shankar temple under compartment 34 of VTR around 11pm on Thursday. One of the three members of the fire-watching team somehow managed to flee and informed the police about the incident.

Bagaha superintendent of police Pushkar Anand said the guilty would be nabbed soon.