Odisha LoP alleges conspiracy behind Naba Kishore Das' assassination

Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Odisha Legislative Assembly, Jayanarayan Mishra, on Tuesday alleged a conspiracy behind the recent assassination of Odisha Health Minister Naba Kishore Das.

His statement came on the very first day of the Budget Session of the Odisha Assembly in Bhubaneswar. Staging a demonstration on the Assembly premises, Mishra claimed that the health minister’s killing was ‘government-sponsored’. He suspected the “involvement” of VK Pandian and Jajpur MLA Pranab Prakash Das in the crime.

Also read: Odisha Health Minister Naba Das dies of bullet injuries

He alleged that 5T Secretary VK Pandian and Jajpur MLA Pranab Prakash Das had telephonic conversation four days prior to the murder of Naba Das. Both of them should be brought under the purview of the probe and their call records be examined, he demanded.

Mishra claimed that Odisha Police don’t have the guts to probe these aspects of the case and demanded a thorough CBI probe into the case.

Earlier in the day, the Budget Session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly kicked off on a stormy note with Opposition BJP and Congress creating ruckus in the House over various issues including the murder of Naba Das and the state’s deteriorating law and order situation.

Also read: Odisha minister Naba Das died due to cardiogenic shock: Post-mortem report

The BJP legislators alleged that the BJD-led Odisha government tried to spread lies through the Governor’s speech. They boycotted the proceedings of the House over the deteriorating law and order situation.

“Through the Governor, they (government) tried to spread lies. Maintaining the law and order is the first responsibility of the government. If a minister can be killed, what would be the situation of a common man in the state? We had demanded a CBI probe, but the government is not ready. When the lives and property of people in the state are not protected, there is no meaning of the Governor’s address,” Mishra added.