Odisha Health Minister Naba Das dies of bullet injuries

Odisha’s Health and Family Welfare Minister Naba Kishore Das died of bullet injuries on Sunday (January 29), Apollo Hospital officials said in Bhubaneswar.

“The injuries were repaired, and steps were taken to improve the pumping of the heart. He was given urgent ICU care. But, despite best of efforts, he could not be revived and succumbed to his injuries,” a statement issued by the hospital said.

Naba Das, a confidant of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, was shot and grievously injured when he got out of his car.

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The incident took place in Brajrajnagar town in Jharsuguda district around 1 pm when the minister was on his way to attend a programme in the district.

“Assistant Sub-inspector of Police (ASI) Gopal Das opened fire at the minister, who sustained bullet injuries,” Brajrajnagar SDPO Gupteswar Bhoi told reporters.

The accused ASI was nabbed by locals, who then handed him over to the police, he said.

Patnaik condemns incident

Condemning the incident, Patnaik said the crime branch has been directed to take up the investigation of the case. “I am shocked at the unfortunate incident of attack on honourable minister Naba Das. I strongly condemn the attack on him. I pray for his early recovery. “Senior officers of the crime branch have been asked to go to the spot,” he said in a statement.

In a video footage, Naba Das is seen bleeding from the chest with people trying to lift the injured minister, who seemed unconscious, and place him on the front seat of a car.

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Initially, he was taken to the Jharsuguda district headquarters hospital, the SDPO said. Naba Das was airlifted to Bhubaneswar in an air ambulance and admitted to Apollo Hospital, Bhubaneswar.

Prateek Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bhubaneswar, said a green corridor was set up in the state capital for ferrying the minister to the hospital from the airport.

Bhoi said that the ASI was currently being interrogated, and more details will be available after a thorough probe.

The minister, a strongman in the mining hub of Jharsuguda, had switched over to the BJD from the Congress ahead of the 2019 elections. He is known to have business interests in coal mining, transportation and hospitality sectors.

‘Cop has mental illness’

Meanwhile, the accused ASI Gopal Das’s wife Jayanati told reporters at her residence near Berhampur in Ganjam district that she heard the news about her husband firing at the minister from television channels.

She said Das had some mental disorder for the last seven-eight years, and was taking medicines and appeared quite normal. Her husband had made a video call to their daughter in the morning, she added.

Das had no personal enmity with the minister, said Jayanati, demanding a proper investigation into the matter to find out the truth.