Bhubaneswar: A forensic team inspected and collected evidence from the spot at Brajarajnagar where Health Minister Naba Das was shot at in the chest by an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of police while on his way to attend a public function at the town in Odisha’s Jharsuguda district.
Crime Branch ADG Arun Bothra has also left for the western Odisha town along with his team after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik ordered an inquiry into the firing by the agency.
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>> The police officer, identified as Gopal Das, shot at the minister twice with his service revolver as he stepped out of his car and party workers were garlanding him near Gandhi Chhak around 12.30 pm.
>> He was in the town to inaugurate two new office buildings of chairman and vice-chairman of Brajrajnagar municipality.
>> The crowd which had gathered there heard loud bangs and saw a policeman running away after shooting from close range.
>> Chilling moment of the act was caught on camera in which Das was seen bleeding from the chest with people trying to lift him and place him on the front seat of a car.
>> The minister immediately collapsed after being hit in the chest and was carried by his associate and supporters in the car to Jharsuguda district headquarters hospital.
>> He was airlifted to Bhubaneswar along with a medical team of specialists and life support equipment after his condition worsened and was admitted to Apollo Hospitals in the city.
>> The minister’s condition is stated to be critical and he is Apollo Hospitals’ operation theatre. A team of the best specialists in the state drawn from Apollo Hospitals, SCB Medical College and Hospital and Capital Hospital are attending to him.
>> Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik visited Apollo and spoke to the doctor about his health condition. He had earlier issued a statement condemning the attack.
>> The ASI, who was posted at Gandhi Chhak police outpost, was taken into custody for questioning. Some personal vendetta is being suspected behind the attack. He had served as the minister’s personal security officer (PSO) a few years ago.
>> The accused ASI’s wife Jayanti told the media that he was being treated for “psychological issues” for the past seven to eight years and was under medication. She denied having knowledge of any enmity between her husband and Das.
Tension prevailed in the town after the incident, with Das’ supporters questioning “security lapses” and some claiming that a conspiracy was hatched to target him.
Das has been representing Jharsuguda Assembly constituency since 2009. The three-time MLA had switched to the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) from the Congress in January 2019, months before the general Assembly polls. He is the second richest minister in Naveen Patnaik’s cabinet with declared assets of Rs 34 crore, which include a fleet of vehicles and a revolver, a double barrel gun and a rifle.
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