PTI By

PURULIA: A local leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party was shot dead by unidentified gunmen today when he went out for a morning walk at Baghmundi here.

Anil Gope, BJP Bagmundi Block President, died on the spot when gunmen shot at him from point blank range near his home at Raghunathdihi village, close to the Jharkhand border, this morning, Purulia SP Nilkanta Sudhir Kumar said.

The SP and other senior police officers rushed to the spot to inquire about the incident.

The body has been sent to the Purulia Sadar Hospital for post-mortem.

Alleging that it was a political killing, BJP district president B P Singhdeo said Gope was a popular leader in the area.