BHUBANESWAR: With conspiracy theories abounding and state police still groping in the dark, the Odisha government on Tuesday transferred two officers, including Jharsuguda SP Rahul Jain, from the district in an attempt to quieten the growing political clamour over Naba Kishore Das’ gruesome murder.
Jain as well as sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Gupteswar Bhoi were was shifted to state police headquarters. Bargarh SP Parmar Smit Parshottamdas will take charge of Jharsuguda.
Meanwhile, attack on the BJD government continued to mount as the Opposition parties rejected the Crime Branch probe and all the theories of mental illness of the accused policeman Gopal Das. Congress has been seeking Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s resignation while BJP has demanded a CBI probe into the minister’s daylight murder notwithstanding the state government’s request to Orissa High Court for court-monitoring of the CB probe.
Given the immense clout that Naba Das enjoyed and the business interests he had in the region, a barrage of questions over personal and political reasons behind his death continued to be hurled by the Opposition on the day. That the investigating agency has not been able to clearly articulate the motive behind the murder did not help the government’s growing discomfort. Leader of Opposition Jaynarayan Mishra even called it a “pre-planned’ murder” and alleged that Naba Das had succumbed to the gunshot injury at Brajrajnagar itself on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the accused policeman Gopal was remanded in CB custody for four days starting Wednesday. His family members and personal security officer (PSO) of Naba Das were also quizzed by the agency. The shocking incident has also brought to fore gaping holes in the security of the former minister who was provided Y level security consisting of two PSOs.
Jharsuguda SP shifted, Oppn piles on government discomfort
On the fateful day, Naba Das was accompanied by one PSO and a pilot-cum-protection vehicle comprising an officer and at least three other police personnel. Gopal, who was posted in Gandhi Chowk police outpost since November, 2020, was engaged in traffic duty on January 29.
His colleagues revealed before the senior police officers that they never noticed anything unusual in his behaviour. In fact, Gopal was very approachable and mostly attended people visiting Gandhi Chowk police outpost which is at a critical location of the town.
“We visited Brajrajnagar police station and Gandhi Chowk police outpost to interact with the personnel. None of his colleagues have ever witnessed him displaying unruly behaviour,” a senior police officer told TNIE. The outpost had one subinspector and two ASIs including Gopal. However, Gopal was mostly handling the visitors, said police sources.
Meanwhile, the Crime Branch team revisited the spot along with scientific officers and ballistic experts on Tuesday. They are using a 3D scanner to collect more clues from the crime scene. The officers also thoroughly inspected the car in which Naba Das travelled till Gandhi Chowk.