Kolkata, July 29 (IANS) An elected Trinamool Congress gram panchayat member has been murdered in South Parganas district in continuation of the poll-related violence in West Bengal.

The incident took place late Friday night in Magrahat and the deceased has been identified as Moimur Gharami.

With this, the overall total death toll in the violence linked to the recently concluded panchayat polls in the state has increased to 55.

During the attack, Gharami's close associate Sahajahan Molla was shot and injured. He is currently under treatment at a local hospital and is said to be in critical condition.

Meanwhile, four people have been arrested in connection to the murder.

Local people in the area told the police that while Gharami was returning home, he was suddenly surrounded by a group of unidentified miscreants.

Gharami was first hacked and then shot at from a close range, killing him on the spot.

Molla, who rushed to save him, was also shot by the attackers.

A huge police contingent of the Diamond Harbour district police led by sub-divisional police officer Mitun De reached the spot.

“The deceased was an elected gram panchayat member from Arjunpur in Magrahat (east) block of South 24 Parganas district. He recently had a feud with some local anti-social elements. The killing is probably the fallout of that," De said.