Trinamool Congress leader shot dead in Bengal

A local leader of the ruling Trinamool Congress was shot dead by unidentified persons in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal on Wednesday, police said.

The incident happened when 56-year-old Amir Ali Khan was out for morning walk in Basanti area of the district, a police officer said.

Three others were also injured when the assailants hurled crude bombs while escaping from the scene, he said.

The attack is suspected to be a result of a factional feud within the ruling TMC, police sources said.

Trouble has been brewing over the TMC's youth wing and the main party vying to control the area, they said.

After the incident, several locals ransacked the house of a youth TMC leader.

Police has recovered several crude bombs from the ransacked house, the sources said.

The local TMC leadership has denied any involvement in the incident and dismissed allegations of a factional feud, squarely blaming the opposition parties for the attack.