Islampur police said that preliminary investigations suggested three bikeborne assailants, who opened fire at Goalpokhar on Friday night, had first beaten up local Trinamul leader Md Khalil’s nephew Arif Alam with rods and sticks.

Alam, 27, was pronounced dead at the local hospital. As there was no visible bullet wound, police are waiting for his post-mortem report to know the exact cause of his death. Three others suffered bullet injuries.

Kanaialal Agarwala, North Dinajpur Trinamul chief, on Sunday said they asked Jaingaon panchayat members to start the process to suspend its pradhan Md Naseer, for allegedly orchestrating the attack against party and panchayat colleague Khalil, which left his nephew dead.

On Saturday, local MLA Golam Rabbani, who is also the minister of state for minority affairs, said Naseer had been suspended from the party.

“We have suspended the accused pradhan from the party for indulging in violence. Panchayat members will be asked to initiate the process to remove him from the post. We have asked police to arrest all involved in the attack,” said Agarwala.