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Credit: PTI Photo
Rampur/Lucknow: The accused in the murder of NEET candidate Deepak Gupta from Gorakhpur was killed in a police encounter here, police said on Saturday.
The accused was identified as Zubair alias Kalia (26), a cattle smuggler and a resident of Gher Mardan Khan in the Kotwali police station area. He was carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh, police said.
According to police, on Friday night, an encounter broke out with Zubair on the way from Chaku Chowk to Mandi in the Ganj police station area of Rampur district.
Moradabad Range Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Muniraj G told reporters that during a police check, two men were seen coming on a motorcycle. They attempted to stop them, but they did not stop and started firing at the police.
He said that Sub-Inspector (Inspector) Rahul Jadon and Constable Sandeep Kumar were injured. Zubair was shot in the police's retaliatory fire and was admitted to the district hospital for treatment.
Doctors at the hospital declared him dead.
Rampur and Gorakhpur police were searching for Zubair, who was accused of killing Deepak Gupta (19) in the Pipraich police station area of Gorakhpur on September 16 while trying to stop smugglers from stealing animals. Deepak was preparing for the Medical Entrance Examination (NEET).
Zubair faces 18 cases in Rampur, Balrampur, Gonda, and Gorakhpur districts, including charges of cruelty to animals, cow slaughter, attempted murder, and murder.