A girl student of Visva Bharati university was shot dead by an unidentified young man who also tried kill himself at the girls' hostel on Sunday.

The police said the man entered Sri Sadan Hostel and went to the room of the third-year girl student, Saswati Pal, and fired at her from point-blank range. He then turned the gun on himself.

Students rushed the victim and the young man to Bolpur sub-divisional hospital. The girl was declared dead by doctors, while her killer was admitted with serious injury, the police said.

Pal, a student of Rabindrasangeet, was from Ghatal in West Midanpore district.