Trinamool leader shot dead in Bengal

Kolkata,Oct 31: A 35-year-old Trinamool Congress activist was shot dead by motorbike-borne gunmen in West Bengal's North 24-Parganas district, a police official said on Sunday, news agency PTI reported.

The family of the victim pointed accusing fingers at a local drug peddler for the killing as the TMC worker protested against his activities.

Zakir Hussain was sitting in a tea stall at Shibdaspur when four-five men came on two bikes and fired at him besides hurling bombs critically injuring him and a friend of his on Saturday night, the official said.

Hussain was taken to J N M Hospital at Kalyani in the neighbouring Nadia district, where he succumbed on Sunday.

His friend Yusuf is undergoing treatment in the same hospital.

Hussain's family members claimed that he had protested against the activities of a local drug peddler who had threatened him with dire consequences in the past.

Irate villagers ransacked the residence of the accused.

The official said that RAF personnel were deployed in the area to bring the situation under control while a manhunt was launched to find the accused.

A local Trinamool Congress leader said the party demanded immediate arrest of those behind his murder.