A village head, who was an aide of an independent lawmaker, was shot dead in Uttar Pradesh's Pratapgarh district, a police official said Friday.
Bharat Lal Patel, an aide of independent legislator Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya, was the village head of Basahipur.
"He was returning home late Thursday evening on his motorcycle when unidentified men opened fire at him in the outskirts of the village," Ajay Srivastava, Pratapgarh superintendent of police, told IANS on phone.
An FIR has been lodged against five people, he added.
"Political rivalry is not ruled out," Srivastava said.
Patel was associated with Raja for over a decade and was instrumental in gathering support for him during elections, an official said.
"This may be the reason behind the crime," the official said.