Gorakhpur: A 19-year-old NEET aspirant, Deepak Gupta, was killed in Gorakhpur during a violent clash between alleged cattle smugglers and local residents late Monday night, triggering widespread anger and a sharp political confrontation.
According to police, a group of 10–12 suspected smugglers arrived in Mauachapi village, Pipraich, with two pickup vehicles. They allegedly attempted to break into a furniture shop, prompting villagers to raise an alarm. When Deepak rushed to the spot, he was overpowered and dragged into one of the vehicles. Hours later, his body was found four kilometres away with severe head injuries.
The incident sparked protests on Gorakhpur–Pipraich Road, where villagers blocked traffic for hours and pelted stones at police, forcing them to retreat. One alleged smuggler was caught by locals, beaten, and later hospitalized. The violence also left a senior police officer and a station in-charge injured.
In response, state minister Sanjay Nishad said every accused would face punishment, asserting the government’s zero-tolerance policy. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials to act swiftly, assuring the victim’s family that culprits would not be spared.
CM orders swift action
The matter reached CM Yogi. He instructed the officers to reach the spot as soon as possible. Said- the culprits will not be spared. After this, DIG Shivsampat Channappa and SSP Rajkaran Nayyar reached the incident site.
Akhilesh targets government
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the ruling BJP of shielding smugglers, alleging “crime is at its peak in UP and Gorakhpur is no exception.” Party spokesperson Manoj Kaka said the killing highlighted deteriorating law and order in the Chief Minister’s home district.
