From correspondents in West Bengal, India, 06:03 PM IST

Suspected Maoists shot dead a Communist party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) activist in the Lalgargh region of West Bengal's West Midnapore district Wednesday.

Police said Subal Mahato, who contested last year's state panchayat (rural body) polls as a CPI-M candidate, was shot from point blank range at his residence in Chirakuthi in Lalgarh.

A group of five to six ultras came calling for Mahato at his residence when he had gone to the market.

'When he returned home on knowing about the visitors, they riddled him with bullets,' a police source said.

Another person was also shot at by Left wing extremists in the same area. He has been hospitalised and was said to be in a serious condition.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)