BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari described the killing of his close aide and PA Chandranath Rath as a “cold-blooded murder” and further claimed that the attackers planned in advance before carrying out the shooting in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district. This came when Rath was shot dead in Madhyamgram’s Daulatala area by motorcycle-riding assailants, who tracked down his car, forced it to stop and opened fire before fleeing.
Adhikari’s reaction after his assistant was killed
Speaking outside the hospital where Rath was taken after the attack, Adhikari described the incident as extremely disturbing. “The incident is heart-wrenching, and we condemn the incident.”
He added that Director General of Police Siddnath Gupta assured him that the authorities would conduct a detailed investigation into the murder. Describing the attack as pre-planned, Adhikari claimed that “the manner in which the attack was carried out clearly indicates that the attackers had reconnoitered the matter in advance.”
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Details in the Chandranath Rath shooting case
The attack occurred late on Wednesday night, less than 48 hours after the West Bengal assembly election results were announced.
“The murder appears to have been committed by professionals. Chandranath Rath, who was sitting next to the driver, was the only target. The shots were perfectly aimed. None of the bullets hit the body of the SUV or the windshield. Two bullets hit the driver when he was close to the target. The remaining bullets hit Rath’s vital organs,” a police officer told HT, requesting anonymity.
The killers fired from both sides of the white SUV. the scorpion. Rath was shot in the right abdomen and left chest. Doctors told police that the bullets had pierced the heart.
BJP urges restraint despite allegations
“We do not want to reach a conclusion at the moment as the police are investigating the matter,” Adhikari said. He also appealed to BJP workers and supporters to remain calm amid rising tensions.
“We appeal to everyone not to take the law into their own hands.”
Allegations of post-election violence
Adhikari further alleged that violence targeting BJP workers continued in different parts of the state after the election results.
He added: “While we were here, one of our cadres was shot in Basirhat, and another was stabbed in the Baranagar area.” The BJP leader also confirmed that he had spoken to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party national president Nitin Nabin regarding the incident.
