Naba Das Murder: Accused Cop Gopal Das Arrested, Dismissed From Service

Jharsuguda: The Crime Branch today took police ASI Gopal Krushna Das, accused of killing Minister Naba Das, to its custody and announced his arrest even as the district police had nabbed him yesterday minutes after he committed the crime.

The accused has also been dismissed from service by the Jharsuguda SP, official sources said.

A special team of Crime Branch led by ADG Arun Bothra reached the crime spot and started investigation.

The probe team will soon move court seeking seven day remand of the accused cop. Bothra himself will question Gopal regarding his crime.

The Crime Branch has confirmed that Gopal was not the Personal Security Officer (PSO) of the slain minister. The accused has been kept under police custody in Sundergarh.

Investigation has begun on to why he shot the minister and whether he had any past enmity with him, said Arun Bothra.

The FIR lodged by Brajrajnagar police IIC stated that the assailant had used a 9mm pistol in the firing and fired two rounds at the minister. The FIR further stated another person identified as Jibanlal Nayak alias Rintu of Kalinagar also received bullet injuries.

Gopal was deployed for Traffic Clearance Duty for the minister’s programme on the fateful day. He opened fire from his Service Pistol from a very close range aiming at the minister with a clear intention to kill him, said Brajrajnagar IIC