Afghan Taliban executes Indian author Sushmita Banerjee

Fundamentalist outfit Taliban on Wednesday shot dead Indian author Sushmita Banerjee, possibly in retaliation to her ant-fundamentalist stance and her ceaseless campaign for women's health and upliftment.

Banerjee, 49, was dragged out of her house in Kharana in Paktita province before being shot dead by the turbaned militants, reports said.

While deadly attacks and other forms of atrocities against women are the norm for Taliban, the militant outfit has not yet stated the reason for this barbaric act.

Banerjee, who had converted to Islam and rechristened as Sayeda Kamala, had retained her Indian citizenship. She had earlier also attracted the anger of the fundamentalists.

She had earlier, written a memoir on her dramatic escape from the clutches of the fundamentalist outfit, which inspired a movie in 2003 - Escape from Taliban, starring Monisha Koirala.

The execution portents to things to come as the American forces withdraw from Afghanistan.

Suspected Taliban militants had, last month, abducted a female Afghan MP while she was travelling with her children.

Another woman MP recently sought asylum in Britain after being abandoned by her relatives for seeking divorce from an abusive husband.

In July, gunmen assassinated a high-profile female police officer.

These instances have occurred in the backdrop of orthodox Muslim groups renewing their call against women stepping out of their homes to work or seek independent careers.

Indian officials in Kabul confirmed that Banerjee was shot around 11pm on Wednesday and that her last rites were performed by her family on Thursday morning.

Married to an Afghan businessman, Jaanbaz Khan, Banerjee had just returned to Afghanistan after celebrating Eid in West Bengal.