In a sensational killing in Balrampur, a Samajwadi Party leader and former chairman of Nagar Panchayat Tulsipur, Firoz Pappu, was murdered by unknown assailants late on Tuesday night.

The victim was on his way back home when he was attacked. His wife, Kahkashan, who is the chairperson of Tulsipur Nagar Panchayat, suspected political opponents of having orchestrated the killing with the help of hitmen.

As per reports, Firoz Pappu (41) was returning to his home from Jarwa when unknown persons attacked him with sharp-edged weapons causing serious injuries on his neck and forehead. The assailants also fired at him from point blank range to ensure that the SP leader did not survive the attack.

The bleeding victim was later taken to a hospital in serious condition where doctors pronounced him dead.

The news of Pappu’s murder soon spread and within hours, thousands of his friends and supporters gathered and started protesting outside the hospital demanding the immediate arrest of the assailants.

SP leader and former minister SP Yadav targeted the ruling Bharatiya Janata party government, saying that the law and order situation of the state had completely collapsed and his party would launch an agitation if the killers of the Firoz Pappu were not arrested within 24 hours.

Soon after the bloody attack, Superintendent of Police of Balrampur, Hemant Kutiyal, reached the spot, calmed down the protesters by assuring prompt action and arrests and sent the body for autopsy.

In view of the heightened tension in the area, additional forces have been deployed there. Police said that several teams had been formed to arrest the assailants.

Pappu joined Samajwadi Party just two months back after leaving Congress. During panchayat elections, he helped the sister-in-law of his close friend Musheer Pappu to win the panchayat member’s poll. His wife is the sitting chairperson of Tulsipur Nagar Panchayat. Pappu was very popular among both Hindu and Muslim communities and his killing has caused huge outrage among his supporters.

Meanwhile in Jaunpur, a youth was strangled over a love affair in Sammopur Kala village under Jafrabad police station on Wednesday. The body of the deceased was found under a tree 500 metre away from his home.

Munna Lal Yadav of Sammopur Kala village used to eke out his living by working as an auto driver in Mumbai. His son Deepak Yadav (22) lived at home with his mother and other family members. On Tuesday night, around 10, son Deepak’s friend Indrajeet had a conversation with him after which Deepak left the house with Indrajit and did not return home that night. In the morning, Deepak’s body was found in the field adjacent to a Chilbil tree on a river bank. A belt was also found lying nearby. Deepak had a ligature mark caused by a leather belt on his neck, so it is believed that he was strangled to death with the belt.

During the preliminary probe, it surfaced that Deepak was having a liaison with a local girl. The police have taken Indrajeet into custody on the basis of the allegations of the victim’s relatives.

A local girl from the village was also being grilled.

In a similar case in Gorakhpur, a 15-year-old minor allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself near Nausad in Gida area on Tuesday. The family members staged a demonstration and alleged that the victim was killed and later hanged to make it look a case of `suicide’.

Gangesh Nishad (15) of Ghola Tola of Nausad went out of his home to get his cell phone recharged at Naushad intersection on Monday evening. While coming back home, a young man from the village along with his relative beat up Gangesh. After the incident, Gangesh filed a complaint against both of them at Gida police station but the police took no action.

It is alleged that the accused threatened Gangesh of dire consequences if he came to know about the complaint being lodged with the police. After having dinner with the family on Monday night, Gangesh disappeared. On the next day, the family found his body hanging from a tree.

Meanwhile in Moradabad, a young couple in their early 20’s seemed to have committed suicide after jumping before a train at Agwanpur railway crossing on Moradabad-Saharanpur rail route on Tuesday night. Their bodies were recovered from the track. Personnel of GRP police sent the bodies for autopsy and were trying to ascertain their identity.