Odisha Governor, CM Pay Tributes To Slain Minister Naba Kishore Das. State Govt Announces 3-Day Mourning

Several ministers, MPs, MLAs, former lawmakers, BJP state president Samir Mohanty and Congress leaders also visited Naba Kishore Das's official residence to pay their tributes

Odisha governor Ganeshi Lal and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik pay their tributes to deceased minister, Naba Kishore Das

New Delhi: Odisha governor Ganeshi Lal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and many other dignitaries  paid their tributes to deceased minister Naba Kishore Das on Monday who was shot dead allegedly by a policeman at Bajrangnagar town in Jharsuguda district.

CM Patnaik, who had twice visited the hospital, during treatment and after Da’s death on Sunday, visited the minister’s official residence again on Monday where his mortal remains were kept. 

Both the governor and the Chief Minister met with family members of Das and expressed their condolences. 

Several ministers, MPs, MLAs, former lawmakers, BJP state president Samir Mohanty and Congress leaders also visited Das’s official residence. The state government also accorded a Guard of Honour to the departed minister.

Later, the minister’s body was taken to the Biju Janata Dal party office where hundreds of people waited in a queue to pay their last respects to the leader. His body would be flown to his native place in Jharsuguda where his last rites will be performed with full state honour, BJD vice president Debi Prasad Mishra said, quoted by news agency PTI. 

A three-day mourning was announced across Odisha as a mark of respect to the departed by the state government. A notification issued stated that there will be no official entertainment for three days, from January 29 to 31 throughout the state and the national flag would be flown at half-mast. 

"It has been decided by the Government of Odisha that as a mark of respect, state honour would be accorded to the departed dignitary. The national flag will be flown at half-mast on the day of death in the state capital and on the day of funeral at the place where it takes place," the release said.

Naba Kishore Das, 60 was shot at Bajrangnagar town around 1 pm on Sunday allegedly by Assistant Sub-Inspector Gopal Das, who is believed to be suffering from mental disorder. 

A team of doctors at Apollo Hospital operated on him after he was airlifted from Jharsugada to Bhubaneshwar, but he eventually succumbed to injuries.