Police in Uttar Pradesh have arrested four men in connection with the murder of a 19-year-old NEET aspirant, Deepak Gupta, in Gorakhpur’s Pipraich area, and injured a key suspect in a police encounter. The operation was carried out jointly by the Pipraich and Kushinagar police teams after Deepak was allegedly killed by suspected cattle smugglers earlier this month.
The prime accused, identified as Rahim, was intercepted near Ramkola Road while attempting to flee and was shot in the legs during a gunfight before being taken into custody and hospitalized under heavy security. Another suspect, Ajab Hussain, was captured by villagers and remains in hospital, while two others named Chotu and Raju were arrested late Tuesday night.
According to police, the accused men had allegedly entered a village in the early hours, disturbing cattle sheds and prompting locals, including Deepak, to chase them. Deepak was reportedly subjugated and later found dead several kilometres from his home, leading to widespread outrage in the area. Following the arrests, law enforcement intensified efforts to track down the remaining fugitives, with specialized teams deployed to surrounding districts.