Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Gopal Das allegedly opened fire on Naba Kishore Das at Gandhi Chowk near Brajrajnagar town at approximately 12:15 p.m., according to police sources.
Naba Kishore Das, a prominent BJD figure and the minister for health and family welfare in the state of Odisha, passed away on Sunday night in a hospital, just hours after being shot at point-blank range by a police officer in the Jharsuguda district’s Brajrajnagar.
The Incident related to Naba Kishore
Minutes before the minister was scheduled to attend a program, assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Gopal Das allegedly opened fire on Naba Kishore Das at Gandhi Chowk near Brajrajnagar town at approximately 12:15 p.m., according to police sources. In the presence of police officers and the minister’s supporters, the accused, who was stationed at the Gandhi Chowk police outpost, committed the murder.
The reason for the death is still unknown, according to Gupteswar Bhoi, a sub-divisional police officer in Brajrajnagar, and an investigation is being conducted.
The accused has been taken into custody, according to Crime Branch ADG Arun Bothra, who is in Jharsuguda to oversee the probe. The Crime Branch has formed a seven-person Special Investigation Team to look into the case, which includes ballistics and computer experts among others.
Videos of the incident show ASI Das approaching Naba Kisore Das’s car and firing his service revolver as the minister climbs out. His supporters assist the minister in getting back into the car as he slumps over.
The aftermath
He was taken to the hospital at the Jharsuguda district administrative center before being flown to the Apollo Hospital in Bhubaneswar.
According to a statement from Apollo Hospital, the minister had “gunshot wounds to the left chest” when he was admitted.
According to a preliminary investigation, the accused shot two rounds at the minister while also firing two more rounds at the police officers who attempted to subdue him, according to Deepak Kumar, Inspector General, North Range. A second person was hurt in the event and was taken to a Jharsuguda hospital.
Das’s body was taken to the Assembly building late on Sunday night after the post-mortem procedure was completed at Bhubaneswar’s Capital Hospital. MLAs paid their tributes. His final rites will be performed at Jharsuguda before the body is brought to the BJD office on Monday.
About Naba Kishore
The accused’s wife stated to the media in Berhampur that her husband had been “under medication for the past seven to eight years” and was a “psychiatric patient.” She said that in 2012, her husband received an ASI rank promotion and was relocated to the Jharsuguda area.
However, senior police officers declined to speculate on the ASI’s mental state and stated that the case was being looked into.
Before the 2019 assembly elections, Naba Kishore, a former member of Congress, switched to the BJD and was elected as an MLA for the third time in a row. Later, he was given control of the department of health and family welfare, and in his capacity as health minister, he effectively managed the state’s COVID-19 epidemic in 2020 and 2021. He is renowned for having successfully managed the widespread immunization campaign against COVID, and his work as health minister impressed many.
He participated in state politics and was a powerful figure. He lost his first election for the Jharsuguda assembly seat in 2004 while running on the Congress ticket. He did, however, win the MLA election in 2009 while running once more for Congress. He ran for office once more in 2014 on a congressional platform and was elected as the MLA twice.
While presenting himself as a front-runner in Congress, he was already president of the state party organization. However, he quit Congress in 2019 and joined the BJD, where he won a third consecutive election. With stated assets of Rs 34 crore, including those in the name of his spouse, he is one of the wealthiest ministers in the Naveen Patnaik Cabinet.
“I am saddened by the unfortunate passing of Minister in the Odisha Government, Shri Naba Kishore Das Ji,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a statement. Best wishes to his family during this difficult time. Shanti Om
“He was a grassroots guy and was loved and respected by all, cutting across parties and sections of the population,” stated Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. His passing leaves the state of Odisha with a significant loss.