Nagpur: A 43-year-old NCP leader was shot dead allegedly by five armed naxalites in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, police said on Saturday.

Kewal Atkamwar, a former ZP member in the district was attacked last night when he was sitting with a friend in front of his brother's shop at main square in Etapalli taluka, they said.

Atkamwar was vice-president of Gadchiroli unit of NCP and was a close aide of former Minister and tribal NCP leader Dharamrao Baba Atram.

This is the second political killing within three months. Naxals had earlier killed one Bahadur Shah Alam, president of Bhamragarh Taluka Congress Committee.

Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil who is now the guardian minister of the Naxal affected district is also from NCP.