A tragic incident unfolded in the Pipraich area of Gorakhpur, where a 19-year-old NEET aspirant, Deepak Gupta, was brutally murdered by alleged cattle smugglers. The student, who was preparing for medical entrance exams, confronted the smugglers attempting to steal cattle from his village. Upon raising an alarm and chasing them, Deepak was overpowered, forcibly dragged into their vehicle, and later shot point-blank in the mouth. His body was found dumped nearly 4 kilometers away from the village. The incident sparked massive outrage among villagers. Enraged locals torched a vehicle belonging to the smugglers and captured one accused, beating him severely. Police forces, including four companies of PAC and personnel from multiple police stations, were deployed to control the escalating tension. SP North Jitendra Srivastava and the local SHO also sustained injuries during the unrest. Villagers have blocked roads, demanding immediate arrests, financial compensation for the victim’s family, and a government job for a family member. Authorities are struggling to pacify the crowd, as emotions remain high. This incident highlights a recurring issue of cattle smuggling and the growing law-and-order challenges in rural UP.
