Sukhendu Das, BJP's panchayat unit president, was shot dead while he was returning home after attending a party meeting on Tuesday night, police said on Wednesday. Das, who was the president of Borkhola Hatichora panchayat unit, was fired at by unidentified gunmen near his residence on Tuesday night.

Soon after the incident, he was rushed to Silchar Medical College Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has directed the authorities to expedite the probe and arrest those responsible for his murder at the earliest.