DHAKA: An Indian woman, who wrote a popular memoir about her escape from the Taliban, has been shot dead in Afghanistan by suspected militants, police say.

Sushmita Banerjee, who was married to an Afghan businessman, was killed outside her home in Paktika province, reports the BBC.

The book about her dramatic escape in 1995 became a best-seller in India and was made into a Bollywood film in 2003.

Sushmita had recently moved back to Afghanistan to live with her husband.

A senior police official said that Sushmita, who was also known as Sayed Kamala, was working as a health worker in the province and had been filming the lives of local women as part of her work.

Police said Taliban militants arrived at her home in the provincial capital, Kharana, tied up her husband and other members of the family, took Sushmita out and shot her.

They dumped her body near a religious school, police added.

No group has yet said it carried out the attack.

BDST: 2054 HRS, SEPT 05, 2013
RoR/RIS