Kurbanov, the imam of the mosque in Dagestan region was found with gunshot wounds early morning near the mosque, the interior ministry said.
The incident took place in Mikheyevka village.
Religious leaders have become frequent victims of militant violence in Russia's North Caucasus region. Noted Russian Islamologist Roman Silantev said around 50 moderate clerics have been killed for opposing Wahhabism, a religious movement that advocates purging Islam of "impurities".
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