SP MLA Puja Pal seeks Y+ security from state govt

Prayagraj: After the sensational murder of Umesh Pal, one of the prime witnesses in the Raju Pal murder case on Friday, wife of Raju Pal and SP MLA from Chail, Puja Pal has claimed life threat to herself as well as other witnesses of her husband’s murder and hence they should all be provided police security. Puja is the complainant in Raju Pal murder case of January 25, 2005.
Talking to media on Sunday, Puja said, “Raju murder case is being probed by the CBI. I have already given my statement to the CBI special court in Lucknow, and now other key witnesses would be giving their statements. However, in view of the broad daylight murder of Umesh Pal in Prayagraj, I feel that my life is also in danger. I request the CM that I should be provided Y Plus security.” She has said that she has requested the CM that the security cover should also be provided to other key witnesses in the murder of her husband. “I am the main litigant of the Raju Pal murder case. The trial of Raju Pal murder case in the CBI court of Lucknow is now in its final stages. I should be provided more security now as if I am killed, the case may well collapse,” she said. Puja said that the CBI has instructed her to restrict her movement. “I have met CM Yogi and demanded security while appealing to him for my safety. I am shaken after this incident. Other witnesses in the Raju Pal murder case should also be given protection,” she added.
Puja came into limelight after her MLA husband Raju Pal was gunned down in broad daylight in Sulem Sarai area of Sangam city in January 2005. Puja contested the by-polls on a BSP ticket after the murder but lost to Ashraf, mafia don-turned-gangster Atiq Ahmed’s brother. However, Puja defeated Ashraf in the 2007 state assembly elections. She again secured the seat in 2012 assembly polls after defeating former MP Atiq Ahmad himself.
However, in an interesting contest with BJP’s Sidarthnath Singh, she lost the 2017 assembly polls and stood third. Later, the BSP accused her of staying away from party’s meetings and involvement in anti-party activities. Puja was first suspended from the BSP an then expelled in February 2018. This ended her 13-year stay in BSP. She later joined the SP in 2019. In 2022 assembly polls, she contested from Kaushambi’s Chail seat as SP and Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) candidate and emerged victorious, polling 88,810 votes and defeating BJP-Apna Dal(S) alliance candidate Nagendra Pratap Singh Patel by 13,201 votes.