Guwahati, April 15: Additional director of Intelligence Bureau (IB), R.N. Behura passed away at GNRC Six Mile here today, six days after being critically injured in a road accident at Sonapur, on the outskirts of the city. He was 56.

The medical director of GNRC Six Mile, J.P. Sarma, told The Telegraph that Behura died of a cardiac arrest caused by septicemia at 5.50am today. He had suffered serious injuries to his head and chest when the car he was travelling in with inspector-general of police (Special Branch) Pallab Bhattacharya, rammed into a stationary truck on NH 37 at Patarkuchi in Sonapur on April 9.

They were returning to Guwahati from Numaligarh in Golaghat district after investigating the fire at Numaligarh Refinery on April 7.

Behura, a 1979 batch IPS officer from Manipur-Tripura cadre, is survived by his wife and son. His body will be flown to Odisha for last rites.

Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi visited GNRC to pay his last respects to Behura. He described him as one of the “best officers” he had worked with. “We have lost a good intelligence officer who possessed in-depth knowledge of the Northeast,” he said.

Assam governor J.B. Patnaik also condoled Behura’s death. Several senior police and intelligence officials paid tribute to Behura.

Behura had served as joint director at IB headquarters in New Delhi before being promoted and posted as additional director, IB, Northeast in March 2011. He was awarded the President’s medal for distinguished service in 2004 and had compiled the IB’s “Computer Security Guidelines” in 2006.