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BJP leader shot dead on a highway in Bengal; friend injured

Kolkata: In West Bengal, a BJP leader was shot dead on a national highway last night. The deceased Raju Jha, who was named in several cases, was shot at Bengal's Purba Bardhaman, NDTV reported.

Jha, who has cases on his head, including running an illegal coal business, joined the BJP before the 2021 Assembly polls in the state.

Jha was with his friend, going to Kolkata. They stooped at Shaktigarh and parked their car off the high. Then another car came up to them, and people fired at them from the new car.

Jha got killed in the attack itself, while his friend sustained bullet injuries. There were visuals from the spot featuring bullet marks on the vehicle. Police recorded the statement of Jha's driver.

District police chief Kamanasish Sen said that Jha was shot dead by unidentified people in Shaktigarh of Purba Bardhaman. Police are investigating the unfortunate incident, he added.

Police are trying to locate the vehicle in which the assailants arrived. For that, they are questioning local vendors.

Saying that they are investigating all angles of the incident, police said that they are also examining CCTV footage from nearby areas, including a toll plaza, NDTV reports.

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