Tag: Naba Das

Hundreds of supporters of BJP Yuva Morcha flooded the Lower PMG Square and took out a mega rally in protest against the alleged lawlessness in the State.

Making a statement in Odisha Assembly, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said the state government has decided to seek the help of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States of America for behavioural analysis of the main accused Gopal Das.

Congress MLA Santosh Singh Saluja alleged that even so many days after the brutal murder of Naba Das, the hands of the Crime Branch are empty as there is still mystery whether the killing was due to political or business rivalry.

The Opposition BJP and Congress have smelled something fishy in the probe and suspected political or personal or business rivalries might be the reason behind the assassination of the minister.

While participating in the discussion yesterday, LoP Mishra had levelled serious allegations by stating that four days prior to the murder of health minister Naba Das, there was a meeting between 5T secretary and BJD organisation secretary at Naveen Niwas.

Behera’s statement came in response to an adjournment motion in the Odisha Assembly on Thursday.

The senior BJP leader further alleged that all attempts are being made by the prosecution to term the accused Gopal Das as mentally unsound.

Launching a counter-attack, Mishra said that 180 cases are registered against 46 MLAs from the ruling BJD. Of this, cases under section 307 have been registered against six MLAs. According to Mishra, 19 cases are lodged against Soumya Ranjan Patnaik and 29 cases against Talcher MLA.

The assassinated minister used to have a stronghold over the coal and transportation business. His dominance over the ash and mineral transportation and coal business grew soon after 2004 when he entered into active politics.

After some mandatory procedures, Gopal’s brother Satyanarayan Das was allowed to meet. It is learnt that they met in the presence of security personnel. They were allowed to talk for some time. 

“During the Padampur by-election, late health minister Naba Das had told me that Dharmendra Pradhan and Jayanarayan Mishra were using force and intimidating him,” said Maharathy. 

From the photographs, the dismissed Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Gopal can be seen standing right in front of health minister Naba Das. However, the photograph which went viral on Monday doesn’t clearly indicate whether Gopal was carrying a gun in his hand or not.

Speaking to the media, the daughter of the slain minister said, “We have never thought that something like this will happen. My family is really disturbed. So, I request everyone not politicise the matter as it is a very sensitive case.”

While staging a demonstration on the Odisha Assembly premises on the first day of the budget session, Mishra claimed that the health minister’s killing was ‘government-sponsored’ and suspected the involvement of 5T Secretary VK Pandian and Jajpur MLA Pranab Prakash Das in the crime.

The picture shows, Gopal at a very close range of Naba Das at Gandhi Chhak in Brajarajnagar on the fateful day of January 29.