MP-BJP LEADER-SHOT

A local BJP leader was

shot dead by an unidentified person in a busy area of the city

Thursday evening, police said.

The victim, Prahlad Bandhwar, was president of the

local municipal council.

City Superintendent of Police (CSP) R M Shukla said

Bandhwar was attacked when he was standing outside District

Cooperative Bank, located in Nai Abadi area, at around 7 pm.

An unidentified person shot him from point-blank range

and fled from the spot, Shukla said and added the assailant's

motorcycle has been recovered.

Bandhwar was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital

where doctors declared him dead, the police officer said.

He said the police have launched a hunt for the

killer.

A large number of BJP supporters gathered outside the

hospital after the incident. Shops in the area downed their

shutters.

Meanwhile, former minister and senior BJP leader

Kailash Chawala termed the attack as a heinous crime and said

the culprit should be arrested immediately.