BJP Leader Suvendu Adhikari’s Close Aide Chandranath Rath Shot Dead in Bengal, Political Tensions Escalate

Chandranath Rath, a close aide and executive assistant to senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, was shot dead late Wednesday night in a chilling attack near Madhyamgram in West Bengal, triggering fresh political tensions in the state just days after the Assembly election results.

According to police sources and eyewitnesses, Rath was travelling towards his home in Barasat in a Scorpio SUV and was seated beside the driver when the attack took place around 11 pm.

Investigators said a car suddenly blocked the road, forcing the SUV to slow down. Within moments, two assailants on a motorcycle allegedly came close to the vehicle and opened fire through the rolled-up front window on Rath’s side.

Multiple rounds were fired in rapid succession, and at least three bullets struck Rath.

He was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries shortly afterwards. The driver of the SUV also sustained injuries in the attack.

Images from the spot showed a large bullet hole in the SUV’s window, indicating the intensity of the firing. Police officials suspect the murder may have been carried out by professional shooters.

A resident, Sushanta Sarkar, who witnessed the aftermath of the attack, described the scene as shocking.

He said that when he approached the vehicle, he saw two injured men bleeding inside the SUV, while another person seated in the rear was crying for help.

Sarkar said the road, usually crowded with traffic, was unusually deserted due to rain, which may have helped the attackers escape easily.

He and other locals arranged for the injured to be shifted to the hospital before the police arrived at the scene.

He also claimed that three cartridge shells were recovered from the spot with the help of residents.

Siddh Nath Gupta, Director General of Police of West Bengal, said investigators had seized the vehicle that allegedly blocked Rath’s SUV moments before the attack.

According to the DGP, the number plate on the suspicious car had been tampered with and was traced to a person in Siliguri.

He said police had recovered cartridges and live rounds from the crime scene and were examining CCTV footage while questioning witnesses.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has joined the investigation, and the Border Security Force (BSF) has also been alerted to prevent the assailants from escaping across the international border into Bangladesh.

Known affectionately as “Chandra” among BJP leaders in Bengal, Rath was considered one of Suvendu Adhikari’s most trusted associates.

Before entering politics, he had served in the Indian Air Force and later took voluntary retirement before joining Adhikari’s political team.

Rath had remained close to Adhikari even during the latter’s days in the All India Trinamool Congress.

His mother, Hashi Rath, currently serves as a panchayat member in Chandipur in Purba Medinipur district.

Speaking to reporters outside the hospital, a visibly shaken Suvendu Adhikari condemned the killing and described it as a “cold-blooded and pre-planned murder”.

He said BJP national president J. P. Nadda had spoken to him to assess the situation.

Adhikari said the police had informed him that the attackers may have conducted surveillance for several days before carrying out the murder.

He appealed to BJP workers and supporters to remain calm and not take the law into their own hands.

He also alleged that there “could be a political link” behind the killing, though he said the party was not concluding before the investigation was completed.

The incident has intensified the already tense political atmosphere in Bengal following the Assembly election results.

The All India Trinamool Congress strongly condemned Rath’s killing and demanded strict action against those responsible.

In a statement posted on social media platform X, the party also referred to the deaths of three TMC workers in separate incidents of post-poll violence allegedly involving BJP supporters over the past few days.

The Trinamool Congress demanded a court-monitored investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to ensure that the culprits behind the murder are identified and punished without delay.

Police officials said the investigation remains underway and several teams are working to identify and track down the attackers.