The Minister of Health and Family Welfare in the east Indian state of Odisha has died of his injuries after a police officer shot him on Monday, according to officials and local reports.
Naba Kisore Das was shot dead by a deputy sub-inspector of police, identified as Gopas Das, in the western Odisha town of Brajarajnagar as he got out of his car to wave to supporters ahead of the inauguration of a local office, The Hindu reported.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences following news of Das’ death.
“Sorry about the unfortunate death of the Minister of the Government of Odisha, Shri Naba Kishore Das Ji. My condolences to his family at this tragic hour. Om Shanti,” Modi tweeted.
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Police told the newspaper that the shooting happened “at close range” around 12:10 p.m. local time. A police inspector and a policeman immediately intervened and overpowered the attacker.
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“After two rounds of fire, the two police officers managed to change the direction of his hand holding the revolver towards the sky,” Deepak Kumar, inspector general of police (northern area), told the outlet. “During this process, the responsible inspector was injured and another person was hit by a bullet.”
Naba Das was treated at Apollo Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8pm on Sunday.
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Doctors determined that a single bullet went through Naba Das’s body, injuring his heart and left lung and causing massive internal bleeding, the hospital said in a statement obtained by the news agency.
The police initially did not provide details of the shooter’s motive.
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Naba Das has been in politics since 2009. He ran a transport company and was one of the richest politicians in Odisha.