Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik allocated the Health and Family Welfare department to Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) announced on Monday. The development came a day after Naba Kishore Das, who held the post of the state health minister, was shot dead allegedly by a police official.

The incident occurred in Brajrajnagar around 1 pm on Sunday when the minister was on his way to attend a programme. "Assistant sub-inspector of police (ASI) Gopal Das opened fire at the minister, who suffered bullet injuries. The minister was then rushed to a hospital," Brajrajnagar SDPO Gupteswar Bhoi said.

The accused police officer was nabbed by the locals, who then handed him over to the police, he said, adding that an inquiry has been launched to find out what prompted the ASI to open fire.

The last rites of Das will take place on Monday with full state honour at his native village in Jharsuguda. Earlier in the day, Naveen Patnaik, Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal and many other dignitaries from different walks of life paid their tributes to Naba Kishore Das.

Das became the first minister in the state to be assassinated in the state and the second lawmaker after the killing of BJD MLA Jagabandhu Majhi by Maoists in 2011. While Das was killed in Jharsuguda district allegedly by a police officer, who is suffering from mental disorder, on January 29, 2023, Majhi died in firing by Maoists during an official function in Nabarangpur district, news agency PTI reported.

First Published:Jan 30, 2023 1:30 PM IST