KHULNA, Jul 12 (UNB): Assailants gunned down Shaheed Iqbal Bithar, a central Jubo League leader and Khulna City Corporation (KCC) councillor, in an attack near his house at Raipara in the city in the early hours Sunday.

Bithar (48), son of Imam Uddin hailed from Barfa village in Gopalganj district, left behind his wife Runu, a teacher of a private college, and a daughter.

The police said two terrorists in their motorcycle followed Bithar while he along with his maternal uncle Montu was returning home from a local bazaar by another motorcycle.

"When they reached near their house at midnight, the criminals sprayed bullets on Bithar from behind leaving him fatally injured," said a spot account of the gun attack on the city councillor and youth leader of the ruling Awami League (AL).

Montu, who escaped unhurt, took his nephew to a nearby clinic. Later, he was shifted to the Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH) where the attending doctors declared him dead at about 1:30am Sunday.

Hearing the death news, KCC Mayor and AL leader Talukdar Abdul Khalek, KCC councillors and high police officials went to the KMCH.

A pall of gloom descended over the city following the killing of Bithar, an influential councillor who was leading a drive in reclaiming 22 canals from the clutches of encroachers.

After the incident, Police Commissioner Helaluddin Badri told the news agency that they set up check-posts at 30-35 points in the city to arrest the killers.