Bengal on boil: Top Suvendu aide killed, eyewitnesses say ‘shots fired at point-blank range’ – what we know so far | India News
New Delhi: Days after the Assembly polls, the killing of Chandranath Rath, personal assistant of Subhendu Adhikari in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas, created a political storm in the state.Roth was shot by motorcycle-borne assailants, who tail-gated his car, forced it to stop and opened fire in full public view at around 10.30pm before fleeing.The incident took place in Doltala area of Madhyamgram when Rath was returning home.The killing comes at a time when Bengal remains politically ahead after one of the most bitterly fought assembly elections in recent years, both BJP And TMC Allegations of threats, assaults and retaliatory violence against each other across different districts.What we know so farMotorcycle-borne assailantsAccording to eyewitnesses, Rath’s car first stopped a four-wheeler at Doharia intersection near Doltala, after which a motorcycle rider approached the car and started firing.The occupants of the four-wheeler left the vehicle on the spot and fled on a two-wheeler.Rath sustained serious injuries in the firing and was rushed to a nearby private hospital. The team informed that the doctors declared him dead on reaching there.“The victim was brought dead with two bullet injuries in his chest, which pierced his heart, and another bullet hit his abdomen. There was no chance of reviving him,” said a doctor.As news of the killing spread, hundreds of BJP supporters gathered outside the hospital, chanting slogans against the ruling TMC and demanding immediate arrest of those behind the attack.‘The attackers wanted to convey a political message’The atmosphere outside the medical facility turned emotional as senior BJP leaders, newly elected MLAs and party workers rushed there overnight.Heavy police has been deployed outside the hospital and along Jessore Road to avoid any untoward incident.Supporters broke down in tears, while party workers accused the ruling administration of unleashing “terror” after the assembly election results.Adhikari also came to the hospital in the middle of the night.State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya alleged that the incident was a planned and targeted attack and the attackers wanted to convey a political message.“This was not unexpected. We don’t know how much the TMC’s culture of violence will subside. This is proof of the complete criminalization of politics that prevails in Bengal now. This was a planned and targeted attack. By killing the outgoing opposition leader’s PA, the assailants wanted to send a political message,” Bhattacharya said.“People should take to the streets to protest and stop this endless violence. Once our government comes to power, we will take strong action as per the law,” he added.BJP leader and MLA-elect Kaustab Bagchi said Rath’s body will not be cremated until the culprits are identified.“It was a targeted attack. The assailants followed Rath’s car for a long time before shooting him. It was the work of Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee. We will not rest until the culprits are identified. Till then we will not cremate the body.”Newly elected BJP MLA Tarunjyoti Tewari said, “We are promoting peace, but the TMC has made the biggest mistake.”Trinamool demands CBI investigationMeanwhile, Trinamool Congress has also condemned Rath’s murder.“We strongly condemn the brutal killing of Chandranath Rath in Madhyamgram tonight, as well as the alleged killing of three other TMC workers over the last three days by BJP-backed miscreants in post-election violence, despite the code of conduct being in force,” the party said in a statement.“We demand the strongest possible action in this regard, including a court-ordered CBI probe to identify the culprits and bring them to justice without delay,” it said.Massive political conspiracyDGP Siddhanath Gupta, who visited the hospital, said the police recovered the used cartridges from the spot.“The small car used in the crime has also been seized. The vehicle’s registration number appears to be that of the Siliguri Regional Transport Office, but our initial impression is that the number plate has been tampered with,” he said.Barasat Police District SP Pushp said efforts are on to identify the attackers, examine CCTV footage from nearby areas and find out the motive behind the attack.Meanwhile, investigators are also trying to ascertain whether Rath was specifically targeted because of his closeness to Adhikari or whether the attack was part of a larger political conspiracy.According to news agency PTI, forensic teams collected samples from the car while investigators scanned nearby surveillance footage late Wednesday night to reconstruct the sequence of events.Who was Chandranath Rath?According to PTI, Rath, an ex-serviceman of the Indian Air Force who later took up a job as an aide to the BJP leader, played a key role in Adhikari’s campaign in the Bhavanipur constituency, where the BJP leader defeated former chief minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee.Rath formally became part of Adhikari’s official team in 2019, when the latter was serving as a minister in the Mamata Banerjee government.He initially handled the duties associated with Adhikari’s ministerial office and later assumed the same role after Adhikari moved to the saffron camp.Over the years, Rath emerged as an important backroom figure in Adhikari’s political activities, coordinating organizational 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 tasks involving campaign management and political coordination.He was part of the core team during several high-voltage political battles, including the BJP’s Bhavanipur campaign.Among a section of the BJP organisation, there were also speculations that Rath might be given bigger administrative responsibilities if Adhikari assumes a bigger role in the government after the assembly polls.
