Odisha Minister Naba Das Murder: NIMHANS Experts Reach Jharsuguda To Map Accused Cop’s Mind

Jharsuguda: Neuropsychiatrists from the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS) arrived in Odisha’s Jharsuguda to examine the mental condition of dismissed police official Gopal Das, accused of killing Health Minister Naba Kihsore Das.

According to sources, a four-member team of experts from the NIMHANS, Bangalore, which reached here on Tuesday, is likely to study the mind and map the socio-psychological behavior of the accused, who was an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of police.

On the basis of suggestion given by a medical board, the Crime Branch of Odisha Police, which is probing the sensational murder case, had made a request to the NIMHANS to send its  psychiatrists to map the socio psychological behaviour of Gopal.

The family members of the former ASI had earlier claimed that the accused was suffering from bibolar disorder and he was under treatment. Gopal Das had allegedly fired at the Minister at Brajarajnagar in Jharsuguda district on January 29. Naba Das succumbed to bullet injury at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar the same evening.

The NIMHANS experts will examine Gopal to ascertain whether he suffers from bipolar disorder or any other psychiatric ailment apart from verifying his previous history.

During investigation, the Crime Branch sleuths have also reportedly found that the ex-police official’s bipolar disorder, claimed to have been detected in 2014, had relapsed after around eight years, the sources added.

The NIMHANS team’s visit comes a day after Gopal Das underwent LVA and psychological test on Monday. Dr Asha Srivastava, director, Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), New Delhi, conducted both Layered Voice Analysis (LVA) and forensic psychological assessment (FPA) of Gopal, sources said.

Sources said psychiatrists know the technique to study and analyse the psychology of a criminal and their findings will play a major role in the probe.

The CFSL team conducted the tests as part of efforts to help the Crime Branch in making its investigation successful.

The Crime Branch sleuths are also interrogating Gopal after taking him on remand for four more days in second phase. However, the accused has not stated anything about the reason behind committing the crime.