Chandranath Rath murder
Cloud TV Desk: West Bengal politics was rocked on Wednesday night after Chandranath Rath, a close aide and personal assistant of BJP leader and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, was shot dead in North 24 Parganas district.
According to police sources, the incident took place in the Doharia area of Madhyamgram when Rath was travelling in a car along with another associate, identified as Buddhadeb Bera. A group of armed attackers allegedly chased their vehicle on four motorcycles before intercepting it on the road.
The assailants reportedly opened fire from close range, hitting Chandranath Rath multiple times. He was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition, where doctors declared him dead. Buddhadeb Bera sustained bullet injuries and is currently undergoing treatment.
The incident immediately sparked strong political reactions across the state. Reacting to the killing, Suvendu Adhikari described the attack as a “cold-blooded and well-planned murder.” He alleged that the incident may have deeper conspiratorial links and urged the police to conduct an impartial investigation.
Speaking to reporters, Adhikari said, “This does not appear to be a random crime. It seems to be a pre-planned attack. The truth must come out.” However, he refrained from directly naming any political party or individual behind the murder.
The BJP leader also revealed that he had spoken with West Bengal Director General of Police Siddhanath Gupta regarding the incident. According to Adhikari, investigators have already collected CCTV footage from nearby areas and have obtained several important leads.
At the same time, he appealed to BJP workers and supporters to remain calm and not take the law into their own hands. “We want justice through legal means,” he stated.
Sources said Chandranath Rath was a former Indian Air Force personnel who later became closely associated with Suvendu Adhikari’s political and organizational activities. Since 2019, he had been working as one of Adhikari’s trusted aides.
Several BJP leaders alleged that the attackers had conducted prior surveillance before executing the murder, suggesting that the crime was carefully planned.
The incident has intensified the political confrontation in Bengal. BJP leaders sharply criticized the state’s law-and-order situation, alleging that opposition leaders and workers are increasingly becoming targets of violence.
Meanwhile, the All India Trinamool Congress condemned the murder and demanded a proper investigation into the case. Some political voices have also raised demands for a CBI probe.
Police have launched a detailed investigation and are examining multiple CCTV footages from the area to identify the attackers and trace their escape route. A forensic team has also visited the crime scene.
The killing has once again raised serious questions over political violence and security in West Bengal, especially in the charged post-election atmosphere of the state.
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