MUMBAI: N Ali Hussain, the owner of a local television news channel - Tehelka Samachar - was shot dead in the western Mumbai suburb of Andheri yesterday afternoon by unidentified assailants, reports say.

Hussein had left his office and was driving back home, when he was accosted by assailants who are suspected to been on a motorcycle and fired point blank at at him, according to the police. Ali, who sustained two bullet injuries, lost control of the vehicle, and rammed into a cyclist, who was also listed as being in a critical condition.

Ali had taken over the ownership rights of the television channel three months ago, industry sources said. Ali had purchased the local news channel a year ago from Manjit Singh, president of the Fight for Right Beer Bar Association a year ago and was operating from Maheshwari Building in Andheri, according to the Indian Express.

Police suspect extortion to be the cause behind the shooting. Senior officers of the local police as well as the Crime Branch-CID are investigating the matter.