From correspondents in West Bengal, India, 03:32 PM IST

A Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) activist was shot dead Friday at a political rally in West Midnapore district of West Bengal.

The incident took place at Adhariaya village.

'CPI-M activists had taken out a cycle rally to campaign for the panchayat polls starting Sunday. Around 12.30 p.m. some people started firing at them. An activist Ananta died on spot. After that the criminals fled,' West Midnapore Police Superintendent R. Rajshekharan told IANS.

'We have not been able to identify them. But I don't think they are Maoists. We suspect they are hired shooters from Jharkhand,' he said.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)