A Bahujan Samaj Party leader and his nephew were shot dead by three unidentified assailants in Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, PTI reported. This is the third such death of political workers in Uttar Pradesh since the announcement of the Lok Sabha election results on May 23.

Circle Officer of Najibabad town Mahesh Kumar said the attack took place around 2.30 pm, when Bahujan Samaj Party leader Haji Ahsan, 55 and his nephew Shadab, 28, were sitting in their office.

“One of the three assailants waited outside the office, while two moved in with a pistol hidden in a sweet box,” Kumar said. “They opened fire at Haji Ahsan and when his nephew tried to stop them, they also shot him. Both of them died.”

The police have formed teams to arrest the accused and further investigation is under way. Kumar said the police have not yet found any personal enmity in the case.

On Monday, Samajwadi Party leader and former lawmaker Kamlesh Balmiki was found dead under mysterious circumstances at his home in Bulandshahr district of Uttar Pradesh. The police suspect it to be a case of poisoning.

On Saturday, Surendra Singh, a close aide of Bharatiya Janata Party leader Smriti Irani, was shot dead by two unidentified persons around 11.30 pm in Amethi district of Uttar Pradesh. Multiple reports on Tuesday said local political rivals were involved in the murder.