Bahujan Samaj Party leader Ram Bihari Chaubey was reportedly shot dead by two unidentified men in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi city on Friday.

Chaubey was rushed to a hospital where he was declared dead.

According to an IANS report, the two men first touched Chaubey's feet and then allegedly opened fire at him. The incident happened at the leader's home in Shrikanthpur area.

The alleged murderers have escaped. BSP members, supporters, Chaubey's family and neighbours raised slogans against the police and the Samajwadi Party government in the state after he was killed.

Chaubey, who lost the 2012 assembly elections from Sakaldeeh (Chandauli) constituency to BJP's Sushil Singh, was selected to run on a BSP ticket for the 2017 assembly polls.

Chaubey was reported to have connections with mafia don Brajesh Singh, who is currently in jail.

In January this year, BSP leader leader Dharmendra Chaudhary was shot dead by unidentified men in Aligarh. He had suffered 11 bullet injuries.