An elected Panchayat member of the ruling Trinamool Congress was shot at and then hacked to death in the Arjunpur area of Mograhat in South 24-Parganas on Friday night.
The victim, identified as Maimur Ghorami who had won from Mograhat Purba Panchayat, was killed while he was returning from a party meeting regarding the constitution of the board.
His friend, Sajahan Mollah, also sustained bullet injuries and has been admitted to Diamond Harbour district hospital in critical condition.
According to sources, Ghorami was surrounded by a gang of miscreants a little distance away from his home and was fired at. They then hacked him to death with sharp weapons. He was declared brought dead at Diamond Harbour district hospital.
The police have initiated a case of murder and are investigating. “The motive is not yet clear. It may be due to political enmity,” a senior police official of the district said.