Senior National Conference leader and former minister Safdar Ali Beg was killed by unidentified militants on Thursday afternoon at Sarnal in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Beg's bodyguard was critically injured in the attack.
The militants opened a volley of fire from automatic guns on Beg as he came out of his house.
A senior police official said the NC leader died on the spot.
Beg belonged to an illustrious family of politicians.