A 52-year-old man was chased and killed with a sword in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur. A video showing the attack surfaced days later, with the victim appearing to plead for his life. Police said eight people have been arrested and linked the murder to an old family rivalry following the killing of an accused’s cousin in 2024.
A 52-year-old electricity department contractor was allegedly chased and attacked with a sword by a minor in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur, with a video of the brutal killing emerging on social media days after the incident. The victim, identified as Shivkumar Tripathi, was attacked on August 8 in the Sikriganj area. Police said eight people have been arrested in connection with the murder.
Contractor attacked during family feast
According to police, Tripathi, a resident of Ahirauli village, had gone there to attend a Brahm Bhoj on August 8, according to a report by Dainik Bhaskar. He was sitting on the ground and having food when Rahul Chaudhary, 30, allegedly attacked him from behind with a sharp-edged weapon.
Tripathi suffered serious injuries and fell to the ground. People present at the spot intervened, following which the attackers initially left.
Family members of the hosts then put Tripathi in an auto-rickshaw and began taking him to hospital. However, police said Rahul and seven others stopped the vehicle on the way.
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The group allegedly carried sticks and sharp-edged weapons. Villagers reportedly tried to intervene, but the accused allegedly pulled Tripathi out of the vehicle and took him around 200 metres away.
Police said a minor brother of one of the accused then arrived carrying a sword and allegedly attacked Tripathi. The victim was killed in the assault. A person present at the spot recorded the incident on video.
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Video shows victim pleading for his life
The video, which surfaced on Tuesday evening, allegedly shows the minor chasing Tripathi on the road and repeatedly attacking him with a sword.
At one point, Tripathi can be seen joining his hands and appearing to plead with the attacker to spare him. The assault continues before the accused allegedly leaves after believing that the contractor was dead.
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The footage was posted on Facebook on August 11 by Vishwajeet Tripathi, a local councillor and lawyer from Betiahata. He alleged that police pressured him to delete the video.
Police officials reportedly reached the court and attempted to take him to the police station. The move was opposed by lawyers, after which the police left.
Murder linked to old rivalry
Police said the murder appears to be linked to an old dispute between the two sides.
According to the investigation, Rahul Chaudhary’s cousin, Aadesh Chaudhary, was murdered in 2024. Some members of Tripathi’s family had reportedly been named in connection with that case.
Police suspect the alleged past rivalry led to the latest attack. Local residents also said hostility had continued between the families since Aadesh’s murder.
Eight arrested, station officer removed
SSP Dr Kaustubh said all eight accused had been arrested and sent to jail. He also ordered Sikriganj police station in-charge Anjul Chaturvedi to be sent to the police lines with immediate effect over alleged negligence.
Police said action under the National Security Act (NSA) was also being considered against the accused.
Tripathi lived in Gorakhpur city with his wife, while his family remained in the village. His son, Aditya Tripathi, is a lawyer practising at the Gorakhpur Civil Court.
Police said the investigation is continuing to establish the precise roles of all those arrested and the circumstances surrounding the killing.
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Akhilesh Yadav condemns act
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav condemned the brutal sword attack on a youth in Gorakhpur, saying the incident showed the ‘true face’ of crime in Uttar Pradesh. In a post on X, Yadav questioned how criminals could be so emboldened in Gorakhpur, the state’s main city, and alleged that such offenders were thriving under political patronage.
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