ASI Gopal Das had "clear intention" to kill minister: FIR
Bhubaneswar (PTI): The Odisha Police in its FIR in the killing of Health minister Naba Kishore Das said the accused assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Gopal Das had "clear intention" to kill the minister.
This was stated by Brajrajnagar Police Station inspector-in charge (IIC) Pradumnya Kumar Swain, who was present at the site when the ASI allegedly opened fire at the 60-year-old minister, leading to his death after some hours during treatment on Sunday.
"All of a sudden, ASI Gopal Das of Gandhi Chowk Police Outpost, who was deployed for traffic clearance duty for the programme, came close to the minister and opened fire from his service pistol from a very close range aiming at the minister with a clear intention to kill him," the IIC said his complaint at Brajrajnagar Police station.
Swain, who sustained bullet injury on his ring finger from the second round allegedly fired by the ASI, said that police officers/men of different units were mobilised and deployed on January 29, 2023 from 10.30 am onwards to discharge their duties in traffic arrangement, law and order, escort and pilot duty and others for the minister's programme.
"At about 12.15 pm the car of minister Naba Kishore Das stopped near the building and he got down from the vehicle after opening the front side passenger door of the vehicle. All of a sudden, ASI Das who was deployed for traffic clearance duty for the programme, came close to the minister and opened fire from his service pistol from a very close range aiming at the minister."
Swain said that the bullet hit the chest of the minister and he fell down. There was profuse bleeding from the bullet wound on the body of the minister, the IIC said, adding that he along with constable KC Pradhan caught hold of the accused ASI.
"During push and pull the ASI fired two more rounds of bullets from his 9 mm pistol. From his second fire, I received injury on my ring finger," IIC Swain said.
Apart from minister, the IIC wrote in the FIR that another man namely Jibanlal Nayak@Rintu of Kalinagar also received injury. After some struggle Swain and constable Pradhan overpowered accused Das and disarmed him.
Meanwhile, ADG Crime Branch, Arun Bothra, who had interrogated the accused ASI said that Das has "confessed" to the crime of opening fire at the minister.
The opposition BJP and Congress raised several questions and saw a "conspiracy" behind the minister's killing.
Former Odisha Law minister and Congress Legislature Party leader Narasingha, who is a lawyer by profession said: "As per my reading, it is a part of the deep rooted conspiracy and needs impartial probe. It is surprising as to why sufficient police personnel were not deployed and ASI Das engaged in traffic clearance came dangerously close to the minister."
Leader of Opposition Jaynarayan Mishra of BJP said he suspects a conspiracy as the accused ASI was issued the pistol a day before the minister's visit to his area.
"There should a CBI probe to ascertain truth behind the cabinet minister's murder," Mishra said.
Meanwhile, BJP MP from Kalahandi constituency Basant Panda said he would raise the Odisha minister murder issue in Parliament.
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Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
