MAKHACHKALA, November 2 (RIA Novosti) - The imam of a village mosque in Dagestan was killed on Sunday in the volatile Russian North Caucasus republic, a local police spokesman said.

"About 19:45 Moscow time [16:45 GMT], the imam of a local mosque, Tinamagomed Ramazanov, was shot dead by unidentified people in the village of Bavtugai in Kizilyurt district," the spokesman said.

He said investigators were working at the scene.

Russia's mainly Muslim North Caucasus republics, especially Chechnya, Dagestan and Ingushetia, have seen an upsurge of militant violence this year, with frequent attacks on police and officials.