The Bihar Police said a candidate of the Janata Dal Rashtravadi and one of his supporters were shot dead while campaigning in Sheohar Assembly constituency on Saturday, The Indian Express reported. One of the assailants was then beaten to death by the leader’s supporters.

Srinarayan Singh was campaigning with his supporters in Hathsar village when four men on two bikes opened fire at him and his supporters, said the police. Singh and two of his supporters were injured in the attack. While Singh succumbed to his injuries on his way to the hospital, one of the two supporters died at the hospital, according to India Today.

The police said the supporters of the deceased leader took hold of one of the assailants and beat him to death. The man has been identified as Javed.

Purnahiya police station in charge Munna Kumar Gupta there were trying to ascertain the motive behind the killing. “Prima facie, it looks like a case of personal enmity,” he said, adding that it was early to say if there was a political angle.

“The matter is being investigated,” said Sheohar Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar. “Keeping law and order under control is the top priority.”

Meanwhile, the body of the all the three deceased has been sent for postmortem at Sitamarhi Sadar Hospital under the supervision of the magistrate. Singh was earlier with the Rashtriya Janata Dal.

Voting for the Bihar polls will be held in three phases – the first on October 28, second on November 3 and the third on November 7. The results will be announced on November 10. This will be the first election to take place in the country amid the coronavirus crisis.