West Bengal witnessed another major flashpoint of political violence after Chandranath Rath, a close aide and personal assistant to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, was shot dead late Wednesday night in Madhyamgram. The killing came only hours after Rath had reportedly spent the day urging BJP workers to maintain peace and avoid retaliation amid sporadic incidents of post-poll violence across the state.
Rath, often described by BJP workers as Suvendu Adhikari’s “shadow”, had travelled to his native Chandipur village in East Midnapore following the BJP’s massive electoral victory in West Bengal. According to party leaders, he spent much of Wednesday interacting with local cadres and conveying Adhikari’s message of restraint.
“Dada has requested you all to stay calm and not indulge or resort to any violence,” Rath had reportedly told BJP workers earlier in the day while appealing for peace in the region.
However, hours later, Rath himself became the victim of a deadly attack that BJP leaders have termed a “cold-blooded murder”.
How did the attack on Chandranath Rath take place?
According to preliminary information, Chandranath Rath was returning to his residence in Madhyamgram late Wednesday night when unidentified assailants allegedly ambushed his vehicle.
Sources said Rath’s Scorpio vehicle was only around 200 metres away from his residence when another car allegedly intercepted it on the road. As the vehicle slowed down, multiple attackers arriving on motorcycles allegedly opened fire at close range before fleeing from the spot.
Police sources indicated that investigators suspect the attack was carefully planned in advance.
Initial findings suggest that at least eight assailants travelling on four motorcycles were involved in the shooting. All the attackers were reportedly wearing helmets, making identification difficult.
Investigators are also probing the role of a suspicious car bearing a Siliguri registration number (WB 74), which allegedly blocked Rath’s vehicle moments before the firing began. West Bengal Director General of Police Siddh Nath Gupta later stated that investigators suspect the vehicle was operating with a fake number plate.
Chandranath Rath declared dead
Following the firing, Rath and his driver Buddhadev Bera were rushed to a hospital in Madhyamgram.
Hospital superintendent Pratim Sengupta said Rath sustained two bullet injuries on the left side of his chest and was brought dead to the hospital.
“He could not be revived even with CPR,” Sengupta stated.
Meanwhile, driver Buddhadev Bera sustained three bullet injuries, one on the right side of his chest, one in the abdomen and another in his right hand. He was later shifted to Apollo Multispeciality Hospital in Kolkata, where he underwent surgery. Hospital sources said he remained conscious after treatment.
Suvendu calls it ‘Cold-blooded murder’
News of Rath’s killing quickly spread across the state, triggering panic and tension in Madhyamgram late into the night. A large crowd gathered outside the hospital soon after the incident.
Several senior BJP leaders and MLAs, including Sukanta Majumdar, Arjun Singh, Shankar Ghosh, Piyush Kanoria, Kaustav Bagchi and BJP vice-president Raju Banerjee, rushed to the hospital after learning about the attack.
Suvendu Adhikari also reached the hospital shortly after midnight under heavy security arrangements.
Calling the incident a “cold-blooded murder”, Adhikari alleged that Rath had been deliberately targeted and demanded strict action against those responsible for the killing.
Police officials said CCTV footage from the area is being examined and an investigation into the murder is currently underway.
Political violence continues across Bengal
The killing of Chandranath Rath came amid continuing reports of violence in several parts of West Bengal following the Assembly election results declared on May 4. The BJP and the Trinamool Congress have accused each other of fuelling post-poll clashes and attacks.
Several BJP leaders, including state president Shamik Bhattacharya, had appealed to party workers to maintain peace and avoid retaliatory violence.
Hours after Rath’s killing, another incident of violence was reported from Basirhat in North 24 Parganas district, where BJP worker Rohit Roy alias Chintu was allegedly shot during a clash over the placement of BJP flags in the locality. BJP leaders alleged that “TMC-sheltered miscreants” opened fire during the confrontation.
Roy sustained bullet injuries in his abdomen and was rushed to Basirhat state-run hospital, where he was initially stated to be in critical but stable condition. However, later reports indicated that Rohit Roy succumbed to his injuries, further escalating tensions in the region and intensifying the political blame game over the continuing violence in the state.
