Bhubaneswar: Odisha Health and Family Welfare Minister Naba Kisore Das has succumbed to the bullet injuries he received on Sunday.
The Minister breathed his last while undergoing treatment at Apollo Hospital, Bhubaneswar. He was 61.
The Minister was shot at in his chest today when he was on his way to attend a program at Gandhi Chowk in Brajrajnagar. ASI Gopal Das, who was in his uniform, suddenly came near the minister’s vehicle and opened fire at him with his service revolver, said Brajarajnagar sub divisional police officer (SDPO) Gupteswar Bhoi.
The ASI was taken into custody, but the reason behind the brutal attack on the senior BJD leader is yet to be ascertained.
The Minister was airlifted to Bhubaneswar from Jharsuguda with an accompanying medical team of specialists and life support equipment.
The Health Minister was admitted to Apollo Hospital with gunshot wounds to the left chest.
A team of doctors led by Dr Debashish Nayak immediately attended to and operated on him. On operating 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, as per medical sources.
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, medical sources added.