Jharsuguda : Odisha Health Minister Naba Das suffered critical injury after he was shot by on duty assistant sub inspector at Gandhi Chowk , Brajrajnagar, While he had gone to inaugurate the new office of Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of Brajrajnagar municipality on Sunday.
The incident took place between 12:10-12:15pm on Sunday.
IG of Police, Northern range Deepak Kumar Said, “At 12: 10 pm Odisha Health Minister Naba Kishore Das had arrived to attend a function at Gandhi Chowk, suddenly when the minister came out of his car one person fired over him after hearing the fire, IIC and Constable was present at the spot had overpowered the accused and disarmed the accused and apprehended him. In this bullet were fired upon two people, including Odisha health minister Naba Kishore Das and one another person. On preliminary enquiry, An ASI has been identified who has fired. He fired two rounds of bullets and another two rounds were fired on air when IIC overpowered him. At present this is the information with us. The Crime Branch has been ordered to take this investigation and as and when the new evidence will be released will let you know.”
On Sunday Morning, the Odisha Health Minister had reached Jharsuguda from Bhubaneswar on his Chopper at around 10:55 am and then he proceeded to attend various functions scheduled at Jharsuguda and Brajrajnagar. He inaugurated a Micro Activity Centre at Ward No. 1 at Sarbahal at 11.10 am and after that he proceeded to inaugurate the new office of Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of Brajrajnagar municipality at Gandhi Chowk. He reached at 12:10 pm and was about to come from his car when an on duty assistant sub inspector identified as Gopal Das had fired two rounds of bullets. One bullet had hit on the left chest of Naba Kishore Das while another bullet hit a youth present at that place. After the incident, the police officials overpowered the accused Gopal Das, while overpowering him he had fired another two rounds of bullet on air. The accused Asi has been detained and present in the police custody.
Meanwhile, Odisha Health Minister Naba Kishore Das was immediately shifted to Jharsuguda District Headquarter Hospital and later after providing first aid, he was shifted to Veer Surendra Sai airport and was airlifted to Bhubaneswar for further treatment.
An eye witness Hitesh Thakkar said that, “At Around 12:10 am , We had gone to welcome our Odisha Health Minister Naba Kishore Das who had come to inaugurate the new office of Chairperson and Vice Chairperson, As soon as the Car of Odisha Health Minister Naba Kishore Das had reached 100 metre before the venue, Minister was about to come out of his car, some sound of a cracker came we thought that cracker might have fallen on Minister but soon blood came out from his shot, when we knew that someone has fired upon him. The minister was shot by an assistant Sub Inspector who was on duty. It is a total failure of security and district police administration. we seek a highly level probe and action against whosoever is responsible.”
