HYDERABAD, Nov 2: A Muttahida Qaumi Movement activist, Mohammad Saleem alias Saleem Inqilabi, was shot dead in a Phuleli police station area on early Tuesday morning.

Mr Saleem was on way home on a motorcycle at 2:30am when a group of armed persons killed him near the Tando Yousuf railway crossing.

A party activist said the body remained lying in a pool of blood for about 30 minutes.

The body of Mr Saleem was taken to the civil hospital for post-mortem and was later handed over to his brother.

Police have picked up seven suspects, including the party's former unit-15 incharge, Jamil Abbasi, his brother Jalil Abbasi, and Abid. They are related to each other.

It is said that some intra-party rivalry existed between Mr Saleem and Mr Abbasi, both residents of the same area.

Muttahida zonal incharge Siraj Rajput said exact details of the incident could not be known since no one had witnessed the assassination.

Mr Saleem was the assistant director, land, Latifabad Taluka Municipal Administration. He had been quite active in the party and booked in many cases.