Jharsuguda: The mortal remains of senior BJD leader, Naba Kishore Das were consigned to flame with full state honour on the bank of Kherwal river amidst the presence of thousands of people of Jharsuguda on Monday.
Although three Odisha Ministers were deputed by the Chief Minister to attend the funeral of Das, several Ministers, MPs and MLAs of the State attended the funeral.
Even a good number of MPs and MLAs -both former and present from the opposition Congress and BJP were also present during the funeral.
The mortal remains of Shri Das were cremated at Kherual crematorium in Jharsuguda with full state honours. Naba Das’s son Vishal with a broken heart in presence of the family members and relatives lit the pyre as ‘Naba Das Amar Rahe’- rented the air by thousands of his fans.
The Minister’s mortal remains were taken out to the crematorium place in a procession of his supporters from his home. During the procession, his supporters raised slogans against Odisha police and demanded death sentence for the accused.
Earlier in the day, Governor Ganeshi Lal and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik paid their tributes to the deceased minister at the latter’s official residence in Bhubaneswar.
The Health Minister was killed by a bullet fired by police ASI Gopal Krushna Das. The police ASI fired a single round of bullet from his official revolver aiming at the chest of Shri Das. Though he was airlifted to Bhubaneswar for treatment, doctors failed to revive him.
Soon after the incident Brajarajnagar police station IIC Pradyumna Swain, who was present at the spot during the incident, registered a case under IPC sections 307 and 27(1).
In the FIR filed by himself, Shri Swain said the ASI, who was deployed for traffic clearance during the minister’s visit to Brajarajnagar, came close to the vehicle and opened fire from his service pistol from a very close range aiming at the minister with a ‘clear intention to kill him’.
The Brajarajnagar IIC along with Rampur police outpost constable K.C. Pradhan caught hold of the ASI. However, the accused ASI Gopal Krushna Das fired two more rounds of bullets from his 9 mm pistol during the tussle. The IIC and another person also got injuries during the second round of firing, as per the FIR. Both the injured persons are stated to be stable.
Immediately after the arrest, the accused ASI was dismissed from the service by the Jharsuguda Superintendent of Police.
Meanwhile, the crime branch has started investigation into the high-profile murder case. Crime branch ADG Arun Bothra and Northern range IG Deepak Kumar interrogated Ex Cop, who killed the Minister by firing a bullet from his official pistol.
During its investigation, a crime branch team examined the informant and other eyewitnesses in the case. The team visited the spot and seized one empty case and other physical clue material.
The team also seized one 9 mm pistol and 3 rounds of live ammunition and a mobile handset of the accused. The firearms, ammunitions will be sent for Ballistic examination and opinion, the crime branch said.
Another team of the crime branch conducted investigation at Bhubaneswar including inquest followed by autopsy by a team of doctors of Capital Hospital, after arranging sufficient lighting facility. Videography of the entire process has also been done.
The team at Bhubaneswar also seized the treatment records and wearing apparels (blood-stained clothes) including other biological exhibits. Viscera has been preserved for further chemical examination and opinion, they said.
The accused Gopal is in police custody and will be forwarded to the court for further police remand.
However, the reason behind the assassination is yet to be revealed by the police.
Shri Bothra said they will move the court for a seven-day remand of the accused ASI to further interrogate him and ascertain the reason or motive behind the gruesome act of killing the Minister.