Hindu Samaj Party leader Kamlesh Tiwari and former leader of the Hindu Mahasabha, was shot dead in Lucknow on Friday.

Police said that Tiwari was rushed to a trauma center after being shot but died during treatment.

According to reports, the incident took place near Tiwari's residence in Khurshid Bagh. ​Police also say that the murder was allegedly carried out by an acquaintance of Kamlesh Tiwari.

According to reports, the attackers, donned saffron clothes and walked into Tiwari's office in Khurshid Bagh area on the pretext of handing over a box of sweets. Soon after walking in, the assailants opened the box, took out the firearm, sprayed Tiwari with bullets and fled.

A preliminary investigation has been launched and the hunt to nab the accused is underway.

Tiwari, a former Hindu Mahasabha leader, had formed the Hindu Samaj Party in January 2017. Tiwari had earlier served as the president of the Hindu Mahasabha.

He had made highly controversial remarks involving Prophet Muhammad. He was arrested and the National Security Act (NSA) was slapped on him. Recently, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court revoked the NSA against him.

This is the fourth murder of a right wing leader this month.

On October 8, BJP leader Chaudhary Yashpal Singh was gunned down in a similar manner in Deoband. On October 10, a BJP leader Kabir Tiwari, also a former student leader, was shot dead in Basti which led to student groups going on rampage and burning down government vehicles. On October 13, BJP corporator Dhara Singh, 47, was gunned down by unidentified assailants in Deoband in Saharanpur on Saturday morning.