Odisha health minister Naba Kishore Das was yesterday shot at chest by ASI Gopalkrushna Das around 1 pm. The minister succumbed to injuries in the evening.
Brajnagar Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police (ASI), Gopalkrushna Das, alleedly responsible for the killing of Odisha health minister Naba Kishore Das, has been reported to be a mental health patient. He was identified to have a bipolar disorder by Dr Chandra Sekhar Tripathy, who is head of psychiatry department, MKCG Medical College and Hospital, Berhampur.
While talking to media persons, Dr. Tripathy said, “Das had first visited my clinic about eight to ten years ago. He used to get angry very easily and was undergoing treatment for this.”
“I am not sure whether he was taking medicines regularly. If medicine are not taken regularly, the disease reappears. It has been a year since he visited me last,” added Dr. Tripathy.
Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings that ranged from hyper-mania to depression, according to experts. However, the disease can be controlled by treatment including counselling.
Das’s wife also accepted that he was taking medicines for his psychiatric issues. According to reports of PTI, her wife said, “As he stays about 400 km from us, I cannot say whether he was regularly taking medicine.”
Das, a resident of Jaleswarkhandi village of Ganjam district, began his career as a constable in Behrampur district and got transferred to Jharsuguda in 2011.
Notably even after that, he got recruited as police-in-charge of a police post at Brajrajnagar where he shot dead Das.
Jharsugda SDPO Gupteswar Bhoi mentioned that the ASI was given a licensed pistol as he took over the charge of police outpost at Gandhi Chhak of Brajrajnagar area.
Official sources said that the officer was Sunday deployed for law and order arrangement for minister Naba Das's visit. Before opening fire at the minister, he had kept his motorcycle nearly 50 metres away from the spot where he shot the health minister.
Naba Kishore Das Sunday around succumbed to injuries hours after he had been airlifted to the state capital for better treatment.
As per the reports of the Apollo hospital where he was undergoing treatment, he died of excessive internal blooding. "On operating, it was found that a single bullet had entered and exited the body injuring the heart and left lung and causing massive internal bleeding and injury. The injuries were repaired, and steps were taken to improve the pumping of the heart. He was given urgent ICU care. But despite the best of efforts, he couldn't be revived and succumbed to his injuries," the statement said.
Earlier, it came to knowledge that Odisha crime branch would be probing into the matter. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had expressed shocks over the unfortunate incident and condemned the act. He was also found consoling Naba’s son in the hospital.
The incident took place in Brajrajnagar town of the Jharsuguda district around 1 pm when Das was on his way to attend a meeting.
According to Brajrajnagar SDPO Gupteswar Bhoi, "Assistant Sub-inspector of Police (ASI) Gopal Das opened fire at the minister, who sustained bullet injuries. The minister was then rushed to a hospital,"
He also added that the accused ASI was nabbed by local people, who then handed him over to the police. Bhoi earlier in the day said an inquiry has been launched to find out what prompted the ASI to open fire.
A video of Das has been shared by media organisations that shows Das to be bleeding from his chest. He seems unconscious in the video and people can be seen trying to place him on the front seat of a car.
Tension prevailed in the town in the wake of the incident, with supporters of Das questioning "security lapses". Some of them claimed that a conspiracy was hatched to target him.