Gorakhpur, September 16 (NationPress) - In a distressing turn of events, a 19-year-old NEET aspirant was tragically murdered by an alleged cattle smuggler in Gorakhpur, igniting public outrage.

The incident unfolded late Monday night, leading to significant unrest within the local community.

Following the young man's death, chaos erupted. Senior officials, including the SP (North), police station in charge, SSP, IG, and DM, arrived at the scene.

All individuals implicated in this heinous act have been identified, and five specialized police teams are actively pursuing their arrest.

The confrontation began around 12:30 A.M. when cattle smugglers entered the village with three vehicles, releasing cattle tied to pegs, which alarmed the villagers.

Many residents, including the victim, Deepak Gupta, rushed to intervene. Deepak raised an alarm and attempted to chase the smugglers. Sadly, he was apprehended and forcibly taken away in a pickup truck.

After approximately an hour of driving, the smugglers discarded him from the moving vehicle, leading to his untimely demise.

In response to this tragedy, an enraged crowd set fire to a DCM truck, while the smugglers escaped in another vehicle.

Local residents gathered in protest, blocking the road at Jungle Dhushad. Tensions heightened, prompting a substantial police presence to maintain order. The DM, DIG, SSP, and other senior officials visited the victim's family as investigations progressed.

SSP Rajkaran Nair provided an update, stating, "We became aware of this incident at 3 A.M. A case has been registered under the applicable sections, and the post-mortem is underway. We will keep you informed of any developments from the autopsy."

"Reports suggest a potential firearm injury, but preliminary examinations did not reveal any gunshot wounds. We will disclose further findings from the post-mortem report. All suspects have been identified, and teams are working diligently to apprehend them. Operations are ongoing in the area where the suspects are believed to be hiding," he added.

"As I mentioned earlier, they arrived in two vehicles. One got stuck in the village, allowing the smugglers to escape. A combing operation is currently in progress. One of the injured smugglers, who was assaulted by villagers, is receiving medical attention. Our team is addressing that situation as well," he continued.

"The operation is still active, and our teams are tracking down the remaining suspects. After consulting with the victim's family, we will proceed with further legal actions. Any updates will be promptly communicated to the media," he concluded.

SSP Nair confirmed that some police personnel sustained injuries during the incident.

"Last night, when villagers confronted the young man, some stones thrown also struck our officers. One officer is receiving treatment, while several others were injured," he explained.

The victim's family has called for the arrest of all involved and the most severe penalties for them, seeking justice in court. Their primary demand is for strict measures to be enforced, and, with numerous witnesses, decisive action will be taken against the guilty parties.

District Magistrate Deepak Meena also assured that all necessary steps are being taken to support the family and ensure justice.

He stated, "As we are all aware, this tragic event has occurred, and the police are actively responding. Ongoing arrests are being made, and stringent action will be taken against the responsible individuals."

"All essential procedures have been initiated. A three-member committee has been established. The post-mortem is being conducted with videography. The family has been informed, and we are in ongoing communication. All formalities regarding financial assistance and government aid for the family are being finalized swiftly," he added.

He further elaborated on the financial support process.

"Currently, we are finalizing the formalities. We are determining which compensation categories the family qualifies for. Once we receive all the required documents, we will expedite the assistance amount," he stated.

He reiterated the administration's commitment to providing full support, saying, "We will maintain contact with the family and address any further concerns they may have. The administration stands with them during this challenging time.