NEW DELHI: Days after the assembly polls, Suvendu Adhikari’s personal assistant Chandranath Rath’s killing in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas triggered a political storm in the state.Rath was shot dead by motorcycle-borne assailants, who tailed his vehicle, forced it to stop and opened fire in full public view at around 10.30 pm before fleeing.The incident occurred in Madhyamgram’s Doltala area while Rath was returning home.The killing comes at a time when Bengal remains politically on edge after one of the most bitterly fought assembly elections in recent years, with both the BJP and the TMC accusing each other of intimidation, attacks and retaliatory violence across several districts.What we know so farMotorcycle-borne assailantsAccording to eyewitnesses, Rath’s car was first stopped at the Doharia junction near Doltala by a four-wheeler, following which a rider on a motorcycle approached the vehicle and began shooting.The occupants of the four-wheeler left the vehicle at the spot and fled on the two-wheeler.Rath sustained critical injuries in the firing and was taken to a nearby private hospital. According to the party, he was declared dead by doctors on arrival.“The victim was brought dead with two bullet injuries to his chest, which pierced his heart, and another bullet hit his abdominal area. There was no opportunity to resuscitate him,” a doctor said.As news of the killing spread, hundreds of BJP supporters gathered outside the hospital, shouting slogans against the ruling TMC and demanding the immediate arrest of those behind the attack.‘Assailants wanted to deliver a political message’The atmosphere outside the medical facility turned emotionally charged as senior BJP leaders, newly elected MLAs and party workers rushed there through the night.A heavy police contingent was deployed outside the hospital and along Jessore Road to prevent any untoward incident.Supporters broke down in tears, while party workers accused the ruling dispensation of unleashing “terror” after the assembly election results.Adhikari also arrived at the hospital around midnight.State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya alleged that the incident was a planned and targeted attack and that the assailants wanted to deliver a political message.“This wasn’t unexpected. We do not know how much further TMC’s culture of violence will stoop. This is evidence of the total criminalisation of politics now prevailing in Bengal. This was a planned and targeted attack. By killing the PA of the outgoing leader of opposition, the assailants wanted to deliver a political message,” Bhattacharya said.“People should take to the streets to protest this and stop this never-ending violence. We will take firm steps in accordance with the law after our government assumes power,” he added.BJP leader and MLA-elect Kaustav Bagchi said that Rath’s body will not be cremated until the criminals are identified.“This was a targeted attack. The assailants followed Rath’s car for a long time before pumping him with bullets. This is the handiwork of Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee. We will not rest until the criminals are identified. We will not cremate the body till then.”“We have been preaching peace, but TMC has made the biggest blunder,” newly elected BJP MLA Tarunjyoti Tewari said.TMC demands CBI probeMeanwhile, the Trinamool Congress also condemned Rath’s killing.“We strongly condemn the brutal murder of Chandranath Rath in Madhyamgram tonight, along with the killing of three other TMC workers in incidents of post-poll violence allegedly carried out by BJP-backed miscreants over the last three days, despite the Model Code of Conduct being in force,” the party said in a statement.“We demand the strongest possible action in this matter, including a court-monitored CBI probe so that those responsible are identified and brought to justice without delay,” it said.Wider political conspiracyDGP Siddhnath Gupta, who visited the hospital, said the police had recovered used cartridges from the crime scene.“The small car, which was also used in the crime, has been seized. The registration number of the vehicle appears to be from the Siliguri Regional Transport Office, but our initial impression is that the number plate may have been tampered with,” he said.Barasat police district SP Pushpa said efforts were under way to identify the assailants, examine CCTV footage from nearby areas and ascertain the motive behind the attack.Meanwhile, investigators were also trying to ascertain whether Rath was specifically targeted because of his proximity to Adhikari or whether the attack was part of a wider political conspiracy.According to news agency PTI, forensic teams collected samples from the vehicle while investigators scanned nearby surveillance footage late Wednesday to reconstruct the sequence of events.Who was Chandranath Rath?According to PTI, Rath, a former Indian Air Force personnel who later took up the job as the BJP leader’s assistant, played a crucial role in Adhikari’s campaigns in the Bhabanipur constituency, where the BJP leader triumphed over former chief minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee.Rath formally became part of Adhikari’s official team around 2019, when the latter was serving as a minister in the Mamata Banerjee government.He initially handled responsibilities linked to Adhikari’s ministerial office and later continued in a similar role after Adhikari crossed over to the saffron camp.Over the years, Rath emerged as a key backroom figure in Adhikari’s political operations, coordinating organisational work, managing logistics and maintaining communication with party workers.BJP insiders described him as someone who enjoyed Adhikari’s complete confidence and was often involved in sensitive assignments linked to campaign management and political coordination.
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He was also part of the core team during several high-voltage political battles, including the BJP’s Bhabanipur campaign.Within sections of the BJP organisation, there had even been speculation that Rath could be entrusted with a larger administrative responsibility if Adhikari assumed a bigger role in government after the assembly polls.
