Last Updated: January 30, 2023, 20:07 IST
Gopal Das is believed to be affected by a psychological dysfunction. (Image: News18)
Naba Das was fired upon at Brajrajnagar city round 1 pm on Sunday by ASI Gopal Das, who’s believed to be affected by a psychological dysfunction
As the police expedite the investigation into the homicide of an Odisha minister in a broad daylight, it has come to the fore that accused ASI Gopal Das was the previous private safety officer (PSO) of state well being minister Naba Kishore Das.
For the unversed, the 60-year-old well being and household welfare minister Naba Das was fired upon at Brajrajnagar city round 1 pm on Sunday by Assistant Sub-inspector of Police Gopal Das, who’s believed to be affected by a psychological dysfunction. The injured BJD chief was airlifted to a non-public hospital in Bhubaneswar, the place he died.
An FIR, filed by Brajarajnagar Police Station inspector-in-charge Pradumnya Kumar Swain, claimed that accused Gopal Das shot the minister together with his service pistol from a really shut vary with the “intention to kill him”.
The “plain paper FIR” accessed by India Today learn, “…Minister Naba Das’ automobile stopped close to the venue at round 12:15 pm. Soon after Naba Das obtained down of the automobile after opening the entrance aspect passenger door, ASI Gopal Krushna Das, who was deployed for visitors clearance, got here shut and opened hearth from his service pistol from a really shut vary, aiming on the minister with a transparent intention to kill him.”
The FIR further stated that the accused fired two more rounds of bullets from his 9 mm pistol. During the tussle, the accused ASI also reportedly suffered some injury to his finger.
Gopal Das was appointed the PSO of Naba Das earlier when he was a Congress MLA.
Naba Das’s Funeral
Earlier in the day, the mortal remains of Das were consigned to flames with full state honours in Jharsuguda in the presence of thousands of people, who bade a tearful adieu to the departed leader.
Amid chants of ‘slokas’, his son Bishal Das lit the funeral pyre, as a large gathering of MPs, MLAs and industrialists paid tributes to the popular BJD minister. The last rites were held at the Kherual Crematorium.
The Odisha government has also announced a three-day state mourning as a mark of respect to Das.
Among those present at the funeral were Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari, Agriculture Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain, MLA Dibya Shankar Mishra, Bargarh MP Suresh Pujari, and industrialists from Jharsuguda.
Many shops, business establishments and educational institutions in the district remained closed on Monday, with locals pouring out on the streets to shower flowers on the hearse carrying the departed leader’s remains, which drove through the streets of Jharsuguda town on its way to his home Governor Ganeshi Lal and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik visited the leader’s residence, where people from different walks of life had also gathered to pay tribute to the 60-year-old leader, who dominated the political landscape in western Odisha for at least three decades.
Here’s What Gopal Das’s Wife Said
Meanwhile, accused 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 Gopal Das suffered from mental disorder for the last seven-eight years, and was taking medicines and appeared quite normal. She said her husband had made a video call to their daughter in the morning.
He had no personal enmity with the minister, she said, demanding a proper investigation into the matter to find out the truth.
(with inputs from PTI)
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