Prashant Kishor's aide suddenly vanishes from train, found dead later
What's the story
Devpalik Gupta, the digital communications manager of Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party (JSP), was found dead near railway tracks in Ranchi, Jharkhand on Tuesday. He had been missing from the Ranchi-Patna Janshatabdi Express since Monday afternoon. His body was discovered 24 hours later in Jarwadih, under Angara police station limits in Ranchi. Senior police officer Gaurav Goswami, citing the preliminary examination, suggested Devpalik may have suffered a head injury and possibly fallen from the moving train, according to India Today.
Disappearance details
Colleagues searched for him after he went missing
However, he clarified that circumstances are still being investigated.
Devpalik was traveling with colleagues Gautam Kumar and Nishant when he went missing.
Gautam said they last saw him when he went to the pantry car for food shortly after the train left Ranchi at 2:25pm.
When Devpalik failed to return after two hours, they grew suspicious.
"We went to the pantry car....but did not find him. We checked every coach, but he was nowhere," Gautam said.
Investigation callw
JSP demands impartial investigation into Gupta's death
When the train stopped at Muri Junction, Gautam lodged a complaint with railway police.
His body was found in Jarwadih on Tuesday afternoon.
The Jan Suraaj Party has demanded an impartial investigation into Devpalik's death but stopped short of ruling out any conspiracy angle.
"We do not know how, or under what circumstances, Devpalik Gupta died," the party's spokesperson said. "Therefore, we cannot officially claim that there was any political or other conspiracy involved."
Career highlight
Gupta had been working with Kishor since 2022
Gupta, a Kushinagar district native, had been working with Kishor since the Jan Suraaj campaign started in 2022.
He was responsible for managing the party's social media pages and digital campaigns after Kishor announced his political plunge in 2024.
An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Gupta had worked with several newspapers, news channels, and digital platforms.
The IIMC Alumni Association also demanded a thorough investigation into his death.