Suri(WB), May 28 - Three persons including a Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader were shot dead at different places in Dubrajpur area of Birbhum district within a span of two hours today, police sources said.

Golam Saber Kaderi (40) was shot dead from point blank range by four miscreants when he was having a cold drink with his friends at a road side dhaba beside National Highway-60 at Dubrajpur area of the district, police sources said.

Within two hours of Kaderi being shot dead, Anisur Rehman (35), TMC leader and primary school teacher and one of his friends Khokon Sarkar (42) were shot dead by miscreants at Gopalpur under Kharasole police station area of the district, the sources said.

Anisur was riding a motorcycle with Khokhan when some miscreants stopped them and shot them from point blank range, they said.

Dubrajpur area is the coal belt of Birbhum district and a number of coal mafias are active in the area.

The local people alleged that all the three deaths were related to coal disputes but the police refused to comment. PTI