India: Local TMC leader shot dead in Bengal

Mangalkot (WB), Jul 12 (PTI) A local Trinamool Congress leader was shot dead on Monday by unidentified assailants when he was returning home on a two-wheeler in Mangalkot in Purba Bardhaman district, police said.

Ashim Das, the 'anchal' (area) president of the party, was shot from a close range by bike-borne miscreants around 6.30 pm, a senior police officer of the district told PTI.

Das was declared brought-dead when locals took him to a nearby hospital, he said.

The ruling TMC and the BJP traded barbs at each other following the incident, with the ruling party alleging that the saffron outfit was behind the killing, and the latter claiming that the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress' "internal feud" resulted in the crime.

No one has yet been arrested in connection with the incident, the officer said.