Lucknow, Sep 14 (IANS): Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee President Ajay Kumar Lallu and Congress Legislature Party Leader Aradhana Mishra were detained on Monday while they were on their way to Mahoba to meet the family of Inderkant Tripathi, a crusher dealer, who died in Kanpur.

Tripathi was allegedly gunned down at the behest of suspended IPS officer Mani Lal Patidar on September 8 and was under treatment in a Kanpur hospital, where he succumbed late Sunday.

The Congress leaders were detained by the police in Ghatampur.

Mishra said that the incident was a classic example of "jungle raj" having been unleashed in Uttar Pradesh.

"Whenever the Congress tries to reach out to the victims of such incident, we are prevented by the police. Is this the new normal in a democracy?" she asked.

Traders turned out in large numbers to protest against the incident and demand strict action against the accused when the body of Tripathi reached Mahoba on Monday afternoon.