19-year-old in pursuit of ‘cow smugglers’ killed: Gorakhpur police nab accused in shootout

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Gorakhpur, Raj Karan Nayyar, said that upon seeing the police, the accused opened fire, prompting the team to retaliate. During the exchange, the accused, Raheem, sustained a gunshot injury. He was immediately rushed to a hospital, where doctors confirmed that his condition is stable. The arrest was made in a joint operation by the Gorakhpur and Kushinagar Police.

The SSP stated that so far, action has been taken against four accused in the case. He added that efforts are underway to trace two other identified accused, against whom rewards have been announced.

Deepak’s death had sparked tension in Chhatradhari village. Villagers had staged protests and pelted stones, injuring a few policemen and prompting senior officers to intervene. The protest was called off after police assured the villagers that a thorough investigation would be conducted.

The incident took place early on Tuesday morning. Police had said villagers spotted a group of alleged cattle smugglers entering their area in two pickup vans.

Locals raised an alarm and tried to chase them. One of the vehicles got stuck on a narrow road, forcing its occupants to abandon the van and flee. While locals had managed to catch one of the alleged cattle smugglers, Deepak pursued the second vehicle.

Later, Deepak’s body was found around 5 km away from the village. While locals alleged that he was shot dead, police had said the cause of death would be ascertained after the post-mortem was conducted.

Authorities had confirmed that no firearm injuries were found on Deepak’s body, and suspect that the alleged cattle smugglers forced him into their van and later pushed him out of the moving vehicle, causing fatal injuries to his head.

Police later said the post-mortem report confirmed that the death was caused by “coma resulting from ante-mortem head injury”.

The second accused, who was caught by villagers and beaten up before being handed over to the police, is undergoing treatment at the hospital. Doctors said his condition was critical.

SSP Nayyar had also suspended the in-charge of Jungle Dhooshan police outpost along with the entire staff posted there, with immediate effect for “gross negligence, indifference and arbitrariness in the discharge of their duties”. A departmental inquiry has been ordered against them, police had said.

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