Dhanbad, March 21: A former deputy mayor of Dhanbad, whose uncle inspired a key character in Anurag Kashyap's 2012 film Gangs of Wasseypur, was shot dead in his car this evening.

Congress leader Niraj Singh was headed home, accompanied by his personal assistant Ashok Yadav and a bodyguard, when gunmen fired 27 rounds at the car. All three and the driver died on the spot, sources said.

Witnesses said the car had slowed down at a speed-breaker barely 2km from Niraj's home when at least four gunmen opened fire at them.

Bokaro DIG Saket Singh confirmed the Congress leader's death, but declined to provide details. "His death is confirmed but there are certain aspects about the shooting that are not clear. We are working on them," he said.

Niraj, whose younger brother Eklavya is now Dhanbad's deputy mayor, had contested the 2014 Assembly elections on a Congress ticket from Jharia but lost to his cousin Sanjeev Singh of the BJP.

His uncle Ramadhir Singh, a don-turned-politician, inspired the character of a coal kingpin by the same name in Gangs of Wasseypur.

A team from the nearby Saraidhela police station rushed Niraj and his associates to Central Hospital, around 2km from the spot, today.

The shooting comes after a similar attack on Ranjay Singh, a close aide of Sanjeev, on January 29. Ranjay was on a scooter with his friend Raja Yadav when they were fired upon.

Raja, who survived the attack, had told the police he had noticed two persons standing at the gate of Niraj's house before they were shot at.