Tag: Odisha

Retd HC judge to monitor crime branch probe into Odisha minister’s murder case: Official

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Bhubaneswar: A former Orissa High Court judge will monitor the police crime branch investigation into the murder of health minister Naba Kishore Das, an official said on Wednesday.
The home department had earlier requested the Orissa High Court to name a judge to monitor the investigation being carried out by the crime branch of the police.
The administration had made such a request to the high court to “maintain transparency in the investigation” in the wake of a demand for an impartial inquiry into the incident, a home department official said.
“The high court suggested the state government to engage Justice (Retd) J P Das to supervise and monitor the probe,” he said.
The state government had earlier announced the crime branch inquiry into the incident immediately after the state health minister was murdered.
Das, 60, breathed his last on January 29 evening, hours after he was shot by a policeman at Gandhi Chhak in Brajrajnagar area of Jharsuguda district, where he had gone to attend an event.
Earlier, the opposition BJP had demanded a CBI probe into the incident, claiming that the “Odisha police could not deliver justice as a policeman was the prime accused in the case”.
The Congress also demanded a court-monitored special investigation team to probe into the incident or a judicial inquiry.

Meanwhile, the Odisha assembly informed the Election Commission that the Jharsuguda assembly seat fell vacant after the death of Das on Sunday.
According to norms, an assembly or Lok Sabha constituency cannot remain vacant for more than six months, the official said.
“As the election to the Odisha assembly is due next year, a by-poll to Jharsuguda seat may be held. The EC will take the final call,” he added.
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#Retd #judge #monitor #crime #branch #probe #Odisha #ministers #murder #case #Official
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 1, 2023
Odisha Minister assassination: Oppn questions ‘silence’ of CM, DGP

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Bhubaneswar: Condemning the murder of Odisha Health minister Naba Das by a cop, Opposition BJP and Congress questioned the “silence” of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and DGP Sunil Bansal on issue.
Rejecting the crime branch probe ordered by the Chief Minister, the BJP demanded a CBI probe in the matter while the Congress demanded a SIT probe under the supervision of Orissa High Court.
Speaking to media persons, Odisha BJP president Samir Mohanty said, “Minister Das was not just a politician, he was an influential and powerful cabinet minister in the state. If such a personality is killed in broad daylight, one can easily assume the condition of a common man in the state.”
“It is unfortunate that Naveen Babu, who has been in charge of the Home department for the last 23 years, has remained silent on the sensitive issue,” he added.
Though a cabinet minister was killed, the DGP and the Home secretary neither visited the spot in Jharsuguda nor spoke a word on the heinous murder, the state BJP president said.
He asserted that people will not accept it that the state police is investigating the case in which a cop has killed the minister. “By ordering a crime branch investigation, the state government has already decided what to do in this case. The crime branch has taken over a lot of cases in the past. But the findings are not encouraging,” Mohanty said.
To ensure proper instigation of the murder case, the BJP leader demanded a CBI probe into the case.
Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly Jayanarayan Mishra (BJP) said, “We are not going to accept the story of the Odisha government that the accused police ASI Gopal Das was mentally unsound. A plot was created to kill the minister.”

Mishra also questioned “why the DGP is silent on this case”.
“As per the information available with us, the minister died on the spot. What was the necessity to airlift him from Jharsuguda to Bhubaneswar. Whether the Jharsuguda hospital authority had certified that Das was fit to airlift for further treatment?,” Mishra asked.
Claiming that the Crime Branch probe “cannot reveal the truth”, he demanded a CBI investigation into the incident.
Alleging there is a deep-rooted conspiracy behind the killing of the minister, Congress spokesperson Sudarshan Das demanded a probe by a SIT under the supervision of a sitting judge of the Orissa High Court.
“Though 48 hours passed to the incident, no action has been taken against any official, who is responsible for it,” Das said.
“There was a total failure of intelligence. But no action was taken till now. Why is the DGP and Home Minister (Chief Minister) not speaking up,” he asked.
Alleging that a conspiracy is being made “to suppress the truth behind the crime”, the Congress leader said that the Chief Minister should leave his Home portfolio on moral ground.
Reacting to the allegations made by the Opposition, senior BJD lawmaker Debi Prasad Mishra said, “As questions will be raised if the police will investigate the case in which a cop is the accused, a crime branch probe was ordered. To ensure transparency, the government has requested the Orissa high court to monitor the investigation by a sitting/retired judge.”
On the demand for CBI and SIT probe, Mishra said, “Let’s wait till the findings of the crime branch investigation has come up.”
The minister was shot dead by police ASI Gopal Krushna Das on January 29. The police ASI fired a single round of bullet from his service revolver at the minister’s chest. The ASI was arrested and has been sent to judicial custody.
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#Odisha #Minister #assassination #Oppn #questions #silence #DGP
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

January 31, 2023
PM Modi grieves Odisha minister’s death

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed his grief at the death of Odisha government minister Naba Kishore Das.
Odisha’s Health and Family Welfare Minister Das died of bullet injuries on Sunday, Apollo Hospital officials said.
Das was shot earlier in the day in Jharsuguda district when he got out of his car, allegedly by an Assisstant Sub-Inspector, who was caught.
“Saddened by the unfortunate demise of Minister in Odisha Government, Shri Naba Kishore Das Ji. Condolences to his family in this tragic hour. Om Shanti,” Modi said.
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#Modi #grieves #Odisha #ministers #death
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

January 29, 2023
Odisha minister Naba Kishore Das dies of bullet injuries: Hospital officials

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Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s Health and Family Welfare Minister Naba Kishore Das died after battling bullet injuries for several hours after being shot by a policeman, Apollo Hospital officials said.
A team of doctors operated on him after he was airlifted from Jharsugada to Bhubaneshwar, hospital officials said.
Das, who was 60-years old, was shot through the heart at Brajrajnagar town around 1 pm when the minister was on his way to attend a programme in the district.
“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 best of efforts, he could not be revived and succumbed to his injuries,” the hospital said in a statement.
In a statement, Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who was believed close to Das, said “I am shocked and distressed over the very unfortunate demise of Minister Naba Kishore Das.”
Patnaik described Das as a “grass root person” and said he was “loved and respected by all, cutting across parties and sections of people.”
Das was shot by Assistant Sub-inspector of Police (ASI) Gopal Das, who is believed to be suffering from mental disorder.

In a video footage in possession of PTI, Naba Kishore Das is seen bleeding from the chest with people trying to lift the injured minister, who seemed unconscious, and place him on the front seat of a car.
Initially, he was taken to the Jharsuguda district headquarters hospital, the SDPO said.
Das was airlifted to Bhubaneswar in an air ambulance and admitted to Apollo Hospital, Bhubaneswar.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bhubaneswar, Prateek Singh said a green corridor was set up in the state capital for ferrying the minister to the hospital from airport.
Tension prevailed in Brajrajnagar in the wake of the incident, with supporters of the BJD minister questioning “security lapses”.
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#Odisha #minister #Naba #Kishore #Das #dies #bullet #injuries #Hospital #officials
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

January 29, 2023
Giridhar Gamang, several Odisha leaders join BRS

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Hyderabad: Former chief minister of Odisha, Giridhar Gamang, who quit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) two days ago, joined the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) here on Friday.
Gamang, a nine-term Lok Sabha MP, along with several other leaders from Odisha joined the party in the presence of BRS president and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
Speaking on the occasion, Rao stated that BRS is floated with a determination to change India’s future and the thought and ideology of the country.
He welcomed Giridhar Gamang, his wife and former MP Hema Gamang, son Shishir Gamang and other leaders into the BRS fold.
KCR, as Rao is popularly known, said that joining Giridhar Gamang and supporters gives a great strength to the BRS.
The leaders who joined BRS include Odisha BJP State Yuva Morcha General Secretary Sneranjan Das, Koraput Parliamentary Constituency Youth Congress President and AICC Member, Rabindra Mohapatra, Phalguni Sabar, P. Gopal Rao, Mallya Ranjan Swain, convenor of Navnirman Kishan Sangthan Akshay Kumar, Mayur Bhanj ex-MP Ramchandra Hansada, Dhenkanal ex-MLA Nabin Nanda, six other former MLAs and leaders of various parties and organisations.
The BRS chief said that Akshay Kumar is a great person and is following in the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi. Many people who took up movements for farmers are joining BRS on Friday, he said.
KCR reiterated that if people elect the BRS to rule the country, 24-hour quality electricity will be supplied to the entire country in two years.

“We will give free electricity to agriculture and implement Kisan Bandhu for farmers in the country and Dalit Bandhu for 20 lakh Dalit families every year,” he said.
He said that clean drinking water will be provided all over the country as being done in Telangana land while 83 crore acres of cultivable land in the country will be provided for irrigation facilities at the earliest.
The BRS leader remarked that parties are winning elections, leaders are winning but people are the losers after every election.
“India’s politics is about to undergo drastic changes. People should win elections, not parties or leaders. Then only, democracy can flourish in the country,” he said.
KCR stated that, aiming for power, political conspirators are raising many slogans and making tall promises.
“In the name of caste and religion, political parties are creating discord between people. People are being divided. Parties should come out with the aim of public service and national development. The parties that have won the election should work in that direction. But what is happening today,” he asked.
He claimed that Mahanadi in Odisha has more water availability than the state needs.
“We are using only 25-30 per cent. Rest of the water flows into the sea. Brahmani and Vaitarani rivers also flow along with Mahanadi. But there is no water to drink. Where is all this water going? Why is this water not coming into our houses as drinking water through drains?”
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#Giridhar #Gamang #Odisha #leaders #join #BRS
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

January 28, 2023