A middle rung ruling Peoples Democratic Party leader was killed by militants in Wussan village of north Kashmir's Baramullah district as he was watching a football match being played in the local stadium late Wednesday evening.

Police said militants fired at Ghulam [Images] Mohammad Saqib, zonal president of ruling PDP, from close range in his native Wussan village in Baramulla district, 42 kms from Srinagar [Images].

Saqib was shifted to hospital by locals for medical treatment. However he succumbed to his bullet injuries enroute.

The authorities had provided armed guards to Saqib but they did not accompany the zonal president when he went to watch the match, sources said.