Odisha Health Minister Naba Das succumbs to bullet injuries hours after being shot by a cop

Odisha Health Minister Shot: Odisha Health Minister Naba Kishor died on Sunday evening, hours after he was allegedly shot by an assistant sub-inspector of police in Jharsuguda district, PTI said citing Apollo Hospital officials. The health minister was injured in the firing and rushed to a hospital. 

Odisha's Health and Family Welfare minister Naba Kishore Das dies of bullet injury: Apollo Hospital officials

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 29, 2023

The incident took place in Brajrajnagar town around 1 pm when the minister was on his way to attend a function.

"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," said PTI citing Brajrajnagar SDPO Gupteswar Bhoi.

The accused ASI was nabbed by local people, who then handed him over to the police, he said.

An inquiry has been launched to find out what prompted the ASI to open fire, Bhoi said.

In a video footage that is in possession of PTI, 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.

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Initially, he was taken to the Jharsuguda district headquarters hospital, the SDPO said.

Arrangements were then made to airlift him to a Bhubaneswar hospital for "better treatment", he stated.

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.

Bhoi said that the ASI was currently being interrogated, and more details will be available after a thorough investigation.

(With the inputs of PTI)