Gorakhpur: A National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) aspirant was allegedly shot dead by suspected cattle smugglers in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur, triggering violent protests in the area on Tuesday.
The 19-year-old student, identified as Deepak Gupta, lived in Jungledhusar village and was preparing for the all-India medical entrance test.
The brutal killing took place on Monday night when a group of cattle smugglers arrived in three vehicles to steal livestock. After some of the villagers raised an alarm, Deepak tried to chase the smugglers. The criminals, however, caught hold of him, forced him into one of their vehicles, and drove him around for an hour, reported News18.
The villagers claimed that Deepak was shot dead, but police believe he sustained a fatal head injury after the smugglers kicked him to the ground.
His body was found near Saraiya village, about 4 kilometres from his home.
“People are claiming that firing took place, but prima facie, it does not appear that any injury has been caused by firing,” SSP Raj Karan Nayyar said.
Angry villagers intercepted a vehicle and set it ablaze. One of the suspects was chased down and beaten.
Protests escalated on Tuesday morning when villagers blocked the Gorakhpur-Pipraich road for several hours.
Stones were hurled at the police when they visited the site, leaving Superintendent of Police (North) Jitendra Srivastava and Pipraich station in-charge Purushottam injured.
Forces from four police stations and a Provincial Armed Constabulary unit were rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control.