Jan Suraaj digital manager Devpalik Gupta, 21, found dead near Ranchi after train disappearance
Synopsis
Devpalik Gupta, 21, the digital communication manager for Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party, vanished from the Ranchi-Patna Jan Shatabdi Express on Monday and was found dead the next day near Muri Junction in Ranchi. Colleagues allege a six-hour delay in filing the FIR due to a jurisdictional dispute between the RPF and GRP — raising urgent questions about railway policing and whether foul play was involved.
Key Takeaways
Devpalik Gupta , 21 , digital manager for Jan Suraaj Party , was found dead on 27 October 2026 in a forested area near Muri Junction, Ranchi .
He went missing from the Ranchi-Patna Jan Shatabdi Express (Train No.
12366) on Monday at around 3 pm , near Muri station .
A jurisdictional dispute between the RPF and GRP allegedly delayed FIR registration by over six hours ; the FIR was filed at 9 pm Monday in Ranchi .
Jan Suraaj spokesperson Kumar Saurabh Singh confirmed the recovery and tagged Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren on X , demanding action.
Whether the death was accidental or criminal has not been established; the postmortem report will guide further investigation.
Devpalik was an IIMC alumnus from Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh , and a key figure in the party's digital strategy.
Devpalik Gupta, a 21-year-old digital communication manager for Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party, was found dead under suspicious circumstances on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, in a forested area near Muri Junction in Ranchi, a day after he vanished from a moving train en route to Patna. The discovery has prompted allegations of police negligence and triggered a political response from the party's national leadership.
How Devpalik Went Missing
According to family members and colleagues, Devpalik Gupta boarded the Ranchi-Patna Jan Shatabdi Express (Train No. 12366) on Monday, occupying seat 50 in coach C-2, accompanied by two associates. At approximately 3 pm, shortly before the train reached Muri station, he walked toward the pantry car to place a food order and never returned.
His companions searched the train but found his mobile phone switched off. With the assistance of the Train Ticket Examiner (TTE) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, a search was carried out across the train and at Muri station — but no trace of him was found. Upon arriving at Bokaro, the group filed a complaint through the 'Rail Madad' app.
Six-Hour Delay in Filing FIR
It is alleged that a jurisdictional dispute between the RPF and the Government Railway Police (GRP) caused a delay of over six hours in registering a First Information Report. The FIR was ultimately filed in Ranchi at 9 pm on Monday. Devpalik's colleagues have levelled serious allegations against the police administration, claiming officials were lax during the critical initial hours and failed to mount an intensive overnight search operation.
Body Recovered, Investigation Underway
Kumar Saurabh Singh, a national spokesperson for Jan Suraaj, confirmed the recovery of the body and stated that the police are investigating the matter. 'It remains to be seen whether this was an accident or a criminal act,' Singh said. A joint team of the police and the GRP has taken custody of the body and is completing legal formalities. Further investigation is expected to be guided by the postmortem report.
Political Pressure Mounts
Following the discovery, Kumar Saurabh Singh posted on X, tagging Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and the Ranchi district administration, demanding immediate action. Notably, Devpalik Gupta was originally from Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh and was an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) in New Delhi, where he trained in digital media. His role at Jan Suraaj placed him at the centre of the party's communications strategy ahead of forthcoming electoral activity in Bihar.
The case is drawing wider scrutiny over safety protocols on long-distance trains and the coordination gap between railway and state policing authorities — a concern that advocates have raised in previous incidents. All eyes are now on the postmortem findings and whether a criminal investigation will be formally opened.
Point of View
Recurring problem on Indian Railways, and it appears to have cost critical investigative hours here. Jan Suraaj's decision to publicly tag the Jharkhand Chief Minister on X is a calculated political move, but it also reflects a genuine vacuum of accountability. The postmortem will be the first real test of whether the state machinery treats this as a routine case or a matter demanding urgent answers.
NationPress
27 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Devpalik Gupta and what was his role in Jan Suraaj?
Devpalik Gupta was a 21-year-old digital communication manager for Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party. An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) in New Delhi and originally from Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh, he was responsible for managing the party's digital media presence.
When and where did Devpalik Gupta go missing?
He went missing on Monday, 27 October 2026, from the Ranchi-Patna Jan Shatabdi Express (Train No. 12366) at around 3 pm, near Muri station in Jharkhand. He had gone toward the pantry car to place a food order and did not return to his seat.
Why was there a six-hour delay in filing the FIR?
According to colleagues and reports, a jurisdictional dispute between the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Government Railway Police (GRP) stalled the registration of an FIR. It was ultimately filed at 9 pm on Monday in Ranchi, over six hours after the complaint was initially raised via the Rail Madad app.
Has the cause of Devpalik Gupta's death been determined?
No. Jan Suraaj spokesperson Kumar Saurabh Singh confirmed the body's recovery but stated that it remains unclear whether the death was accidental or criminal. A postmortem is being conducted, and further investigation will proceed based on those findings.
What action has Jan Suraaj demanded from the authorities?
Jan Suraaj national spokesperson Kumar Saurabh Singh posted on X tagging Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and the Ranchi district administration, demanding immediate action. The party has also alleged that the police were lax during the critical initial hours and failed to mount a thorough overnight search.
