BALRAMPUR: Samajwadi Party leader Firoz Pappu was allegedly killed by unidentified assailants near his house in Balrampur, police said on Wednesday. The incident took place when Pappu (35), former chairman of Tulsipur nagar panchayat, was returning home on Tuesday night when the assailants slit his throat, they said.
Considering the gravity of the situation, a large number of police personnel have been deployed in the area and senior officials, including commissioner and DIG, rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation.
According to police, Pappu was returning home after campaigning for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections when the incident took place. The family rushed him to the community health centre, Tulsipur where the doctors declared him brought dead.
As soon as the news spread, a large number of his supporters and Samajwadi Party leaders, including former minister S P Yadav, reached the hospital.
Yadav announced the suspension of all programmes of the Samajwadi Party on Wednesday and demanded immediate arrest of the criminals.
Party sources said Pappu was a strong contender for the party ticket from Tulsipur assembly seat.
Meanwhile, traders of Tulsipur kept their shutters down as a mark of protest.
Superintendent of Police Hemant Kutiyal said the body has been sent for post-mortem. He said four teams have been formed to arrest the criminals.
