Suvendu Adhikari's aide shot dead near Kolkata amid post-poll violence

Post-poll tensions in West Bengal escalated further after BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari’s close aide and personal assistant, Chandranath Rath, was shot dead in a suspected targeted attack. Describing the killing as a "pre-planned murder" and a "personal loss", Adhikari appealed to BJP workers to maintain peace.

Rath, who had been working with Adhikari for several years, was attacked on Wednesday night in Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas district. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was rushed to a private hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Calling it a "painful murder", the BJP leader said police had assured proper action in the case.

"A lot of incidents have happened in nearby areas. Police are investigating the entire case. It’s a pre-planned murder. It's a personal loss for me," Adhikari told reporters after the incident.

"I appeal to all BJP workers to maintain peace. It's a painful murder. Police have assured us of proper actions in the case," he added.

The killing has sent shockwaves through political circles and triggered fresh tension in the region.

Hours after the incident, state BJP leader Arjun Singh levelled strartling allegations against Trinamool Congress General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, accusing him of "orchestrating" the attack.

"Abhishek Banerjee has orchestrated this murder. They want to send a message that even though they are not in power, they are still a force to be reckoned with over us," news agency ANI quoted Singh as saying. "They are fools. They will get their answer".

HOW THE ATTACK UNFOLDED

Early inputs suggest a well-planned ambush. According to police sources, Rath’s vehicle was being followed by two vehicles — a four-wheeler and a motorcycle.

The four-wheeler allegedly overtook Rath’s car, forcing it to slow down. Moments later, bike-borne assailants opened fire from close range. At least four rounds were fired, three of which struck Rath in the chest, abdomen and head.

Eyewitnesses told police that the motorcycle used in the attack did not have a registration plate, raising suspicions of a premeditated hit.

“Someone followed his car and when it slowed down, they opened fire,” a source said, describing the sequence.

The driver of the vehicle was also injured in the firing and is currently undergoing treatment at SSKM Hospital in Kolkata. His condition is reported to be critical.

WEAPON TRAIL POINTS TO GLOCK PISTOL

Sources said the bullet shells recovered from the crime scene suggest that a small firearm, possibly an Austrian-made Glock pistol, may have been used in the attack.

Investigators, however, cautioned that the exact weapon will be confirmed only after forensic analysis. “Forensic tests will reveal the precise type of firearm used,” sources said.

FORENSIC CLUES AND CCTV TRAIL

Visuals from the spot showed bullet marks on the car’s window, indicating the intensity of the attack. Investigators have recovered empty cartridges and live bullets from the scene.

West Bengal DGP Siddh Nath Gupta confirmed that one vehicle linked to the case has been intercepted. “The car’s number plate had been tampered with. We have seized the vehicle and recovered fired cartridges and live rounds. Multiple CCTV footages are being examined,” he said.

Police teams are scanning footage from Jessore Road and nearby areas to trace the movement of the suspects. Local witnesses are also being questioned as part of the ongoing investigation.

VICTIM'S PROFILE AND POLITICAL LINKS

Rath was considered a trusted aide of Adhikari and had been closely associated with him for years. He was actively involved in political work, including during the high-profile Bhabanipur contest.

Senior BJP leader Keya Ghosh claimed Rath was targeted because of his political role. “He worked intensely for Suvendu Adhikari. This is not a random act,” she said, alleging that political rivalry could be behind the killing.

The incident has quickly escalated into a political flashpoint.

BJP leaders alleged the involvement of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). “We have been preaching peace but TMC has made the biggest blunder,” BJP MLA Tarunjyoti Tewari said.

The TMC, however, strongly condemned the killing and denied the allegations. In a statement, the party pointed to recent incidents where its own workers were targeted and demanded a court-monitored probe.

“Violence and political killings have no place in a democracy. The guilty must be identified and punished,” the party said.

Senior police officers have reached the spot and multiple teams are working to identify the attackers and establish the motive.

ANOTHER SHOOTING ADDS TO TENSION

In a separate incident in Basirhat, a youth identified as Rohit Roy alias Chintu was injured in a clash reportedly linked to a dispute over hoisting a party flag. Tension prevailed in the area following the shooting.

The incident has added to the already tense atmosphere in parts of the state.

POST-POLL VIOLENCE

The attack came amid sporadic incidents of violence being reported in West Bengal since the BJP's sweeping electoral victory, in which it secured 207 of the 294 Assembly seats, ending the Trinamool Congress' 15-year rule in the state.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar directed the authorities concerned to immediately arrest those involved in post-poll violence and vandalism in West Bengal. The directive came after a BJP and a Trinamool worker were killed in separate incidents of post-poll violence.

According to police, the BJP worker, Madhu Mondal, died after allegedly being beaten by TMC supporters during a victory procession in New Town on Tuesday evening. Earlier in the same day, TMC worker Abir Sheikh was allegedly hacked to death by BJP activists in Nanoor, Birbhum, police said.

In earlier incidents of arson and vandalism, the election office of TMC candidate and former minister Aroop Biswas was attacked by a mob in the Bijoygarh-Netajinagar area of Tollygunge. Some individuals were seen kicking broken hoardings before leaving the spot.

At Ruby Crossing in Kasba, the office of TMC councillor Sushanta Ghosh was ransacked by a crowd carrying BJP flags.

In Panihati Assembly constituency, where Ratna Debnath, the mother of the RG Kar Hospital rape-murder victim, defeated TMC's Tirthankar Ghosh by 28,836 votes, a party office was vandalised overnight. Posters and hoardings were torn down during the attack.