19-year-old killed by alleged cattle smugglers in UP’s Gorakhpur

A 19-year-old was killed in Gorakhpur’s Pipraich village early Monday morning after he attempted to stop cattle smugglers. The incident has triggered outrage among locals, leading to protests and road blockades.

Deepak Gupta, a resident of Pipraich, was preparing for medical entrance exams. Around 3 am, two vehicles carrying suspected cattle smugglers entered the village and began stealing livestock from cattle sheds. Alerted by noise, villagers, including Deepak, rushed out to stop the intruders.

As the smugglers tried to flee, Deepak chased one of the vehicles. He was allegedly pulled inside, assaulted, and later found dead with a serious head injury, about four kilometres from his home. While villagers claim he was shot, police say initial findings suggest he may have sustained the injury after being pushed from the vehicle.

Angered by his death, residents caught one of the vehicles, set it on fire, and beat up a smuggler. The second vehicle managed to escape.