Odisha govt to accord state honour to deceased minister

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Sunday evening said state honour would be accorded to Naba Kishore Das, the health and family welfare minister who died in hospital hours after being shot by a policeman.

A government release said there will be no official entertainment for three days from January 29-31 throughout the state.

“It has been decided by the Government of Odisha that as a mark of respect, state honour would be accorded to the departed dignitary. 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,” an official release said.

The minister, 60, was shot at Brajrajnagar town around 1 pm by Assistant Sub-inspector of Police (ASI) 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.