Kathmandu, 4 February: Kritkumar Joshi, a local leader of the Nepali Congress was shot dead by suspected Maoists Saturday near his home in Saptari district.

Eyewitnesses say a group of five unknown people shot Joshi as he was driving home to his village in Telahia on a motorcycle. The assailants then fled to a nearby jungle shouting Maoist slogans, the eyewitnesses said.