AMN
In Odisha, the sitting Health Minister Naba Kishore Das, who died of a gunshot wound yesterday, is being cremated in Jharsuguda with full State honour. Earlier today, his body was airlifted from the capital Bhubaneswar to Jharsuguda-his constituency. At the time of filing the story, his body is now taken out in a procession in the city for thousands of people to pay their last respect to the departed leader.
While the State government has declared a three days’ mourning from yesterday, the national flag flew at half mast in the capital Bhubaneswar yesterday-the fateful day of his unfortunate demise and will continue to fly at half-mast in Jharsuguda today- the place of a funeral as a mark of respect to the leader.
Meanwhile, leaders cutting across party lines have paid their last respect both in the capital Bhubaneswar where he breathed his last and in Jharsuguda where the last rites are being performed. The ex-minister, being shot from very close range at around noon yesterday in a programme in Brajarajnagar in Jharsuguda district was immediately airlifted to the capital Bhubaneswar where he died of the serious bullet injury while under treatment in a private hospital.
His body was, subsequently, taken to the State Assembly for members to pay homage last evening. Meanwhile, even as the police ASI who fired the gunshot at the minister has already been nabbed, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has ordered a Crime Branch enquiry into the sad incident.