Patna, Jan 4 (IANS) Bihar legislator Raj Kishore Kesri was Tuesday morning stabbed to death at his home in Purnia district by a woman who had accused the politician of raping her, police said.

Kesri, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator from Purnia assembly constituency, was stabbed by the woman, identified as Rupam Pathak, inside his house, a police officer told IANS over the telephone from Purnia.

Pathak, a school teacher, had last year accused Kesri of raping her and had lodged a case againt him.

"The accused has been arrested and is being interrogated," the officer said.

He said Kesri was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries.

The killing has sent shockwaves through Bihar's political circles, particularly among leaders and workers of the BJP, an ally of the state's ruling coalition led by the Janata Dal-United (JD-U).

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed shock and has ordered a probe into the incident. He also asked Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi to rush to Purnia.

Pathak, in her First Information Report (FIR), alleged that Kesri and his men had raped her for a period of three years.