Cop who shot at Odisha Health Minister was mentally disturbed, reveals his wife

ASI Gopal Das, the policeman who shot and critically wounded Odisha Health Minister Naba Das was mentally not in the right condition, his wife Jayanti Das was quoted as saying after the shooting incident.

Das is accused of having shot at Odisha Minister Naba Das near Brajarajnagar in Jharsuguda district on Sunday.

His wife told reporters that she had no idea why her husband fired at the politician. She further revealed that she had only been made aware of the incident by the media. Accused Das’ wife further revealed that she had not talked to him since morning but he had made a video call to their daughter. However, he had disconnected the call saying that he was getting some calls.

“Mujhe toh pata hi nahin tha. Media se mujhe pata chala kya hua tha. Woh aise kyun kiye, mujhe toh kuchh bhi pata nahi tha. Subah se unke saath baat nahi hua hai. Beti ko subah video call kiye the. Us waqt unka kuchh phone aa raha hai bolke phone kaat diye the. Fir uske baad aisi khabar aaya hai. Maine unke saath kuchh baat bhi nahi hua hun. Toh main kya bolun aapko (I didn’t know. I came to know from the media what had happened. Why did he do this, I didn’t know anything. I haven’t talked to him since this morning. He had made a video call to his daughter in the morning. At that time he had disconnected the phone saying that he was getting some calls. Then after that such news came. I haven’t even talked to her. So what can I tell you.),” Jayanti Das said.

She further revealed that earlier he was totally fine but he was mentally disturbed and was taking medicines since seven-eight years. He had come home 4-5 months ago and everything was normal.

“Pehle bilkul theek the. Lekin unki dimaag thodi si kharaab tha. Woh medicine le rahe the… 7/8 saal se woh medicine le rahe the. Unke kuchh bhi problem nahi tha. 4/5 mahine pehle ghar aaye the.. Sab kuchh normal tha (Earlier he was quite fine, but his mind was not quite right. He was taking medicine…for the last 7/8 years. He didn’t have any problem. He came home 4/5 months ago. Everything was normal.),” the accused cop’s wife added.

Meanwhile, the critically injured minister was airlifted to Bhubaneswar after being shot at. He is currently being treated at Apollo hospital in Odisha capital. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik visited the hospital and held a discussion with the Health Secretary and other officials.

Naba Das was shot at around 12:30 in the afternoon at Gandhi chowk while he was on his way to attend a programme. He sustained bullet injuries to the left side of his chest. The cop shot at him from point-blank range, an eyewitness revealed. The exact reason behind the shooting is still unclear. Crime Branch is set to take up the investigation.