Gunmen kill political leader in India's West Bengal

NEW DELHI, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Unidentified gunmen Thursday killed ruling Trinamool Congress party leader Dulal Sarkar in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal, police said.

Sarkar was fired upon from point-blank range in Jhaljhalia More area of Malda district, about 334 km north of Kolkata, the capital city of West Bengal.

He was a Trinamool Congress party councillor and close associate of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Banerjee expressed shock over the killing of Sarkar.

The motive behind the killing was not immediately known.

Police registered a case and ordered an investigation into the murder.