Naba Kishore Das

Some Lesser Known Facts About Naba Kishore Das

• Naba Kishore Das was an Indian politician who was elected as the Member of the Legislative Assembly from the Jharsuguda constituency in Odisha for three consecutive terms, i.e., 2009, 2014, and 2019. On 29 January 2023, he succumbed to death at the Apollo Hospital, Bhubaneswar after he was shot multiple times by Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Gopal Das at the Gandhi Chowk, Brajrajnagar, Jharsuguda district, Odisha.

• During his college days, Kishore was actively involved in politics. He started his political journey by joining the Student’s Federation of India (SFI) party and was elected as the students’ union president at his college Gangadhar Meher College, Sambalpur. Later, he left the SFI party and became a member of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) and served as the vice president of Odisha’s National Students Union of India (NSUI) party.

• Naba Kishore’s family had a mining transportation business in the Jharsuguda and Sundargarh districts of Odisha.

• Naba Kishore was fond of rifles, and he possessed a revolver, a double-barrel gun, and a bore rifle. In an interview, on being asked about his interest in rifles, Kishore revealed that in 1984, while he was studying in college, he got an all-India licence for revolvers.

• In 2012, Naba Kishore served as a member of a few committees like the House Committee on Railways, the Library Committee, the Standing Committee on Industries, Steel & Mines, Commerce & Transport, and the House Committee on Linguistic Minorities.

• Naba Kishore was well-known for his close association with the 14th Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik.

• Naba was actively involved in lending financial support to various social causes. He often donated money to various charity organisations and temples. On 21 January 2023, it was rumoured that Naba Kishore donated an urn made of 1.7 kg gold and 5 kg silver worth around Rs 1 crore to the Shani Mahagraha temple situated at Shinganapur in the Ahmednagar district. While addressing the reporters, Naba Kishore dismissed the rumours and claimed that he only offered an urn with mustard oil and donated an amount of Rs 10 lakhs to the temple. ^[7]Odisha Bytes

• On 29 January 2023, Kishore had to inaugurate a party’s office in Brajrajnagar, Jharsuguda district, Odisha. While on his way, he stepped out of his car to greet his supporters near Gandhi chowk, where a cop, Gopal Das, of Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) rank shot at him multiple times with his service revolver. Kishore, who sustained bullet injuries on the left side of the chest, was immediately airlifted to Apollo Hospital in Bhubaneswar, where a team of specialists declared him dead after he was given urgent ICU care. However, Gopal’s motive behind shooting Naba Kishore was not revealed by the police officials. On 30 January 2023, Kishore Das was cremated at the Kherual village near Jharsuguda district in Odisha with full state honours. The statement released by the Apollo Hospital specified the reason for Kishore’s death, which read,
  

  On operating, it was found that a single bullet had entered and exited the body, injuring the heart and left lung and causing massive internal bleeding and injury. The injuries were repaired, and steps were taken to improve the pumping of the heart. He was given urgent ICU care. But despite the best of efforts, he could not be revived and succumbed to his injuries.”

• Gopal Das’ wife, Jayanti Das, while addressing the reporters claimed that Gopal was mentally unstable and was undergoing treatment for his condition. She said,
  

  I heard the news, then what I will say. How can I say why did he take this step? I haven’t spoken to him since morning. He spoke to my daughter on a video call at around 11 am today, but he disconnected suddenly. His mental condition was not good and he was taking medicines for the same. He was on medication for the last 8 years. He was behaving well after taking medicines.” ^[8]The Print

  

   

  However, a few media sources claimed that Gopal Das suffered from bipolar disorder ^[9]The Week, a medical health condition, which causes extreme shifts in mood, energy levels, and behaviour.