Blood on Bengal’s political faultlines: Chandranath Rath's killing sparks fresh row

Chandranath Rath, a close aide of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, was shot dead in a late-night attack in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district near Doharia, an area close to Kolkata airport, triggering a major political and law-and-order controversy across the state.

Chandranath Rath, aged around 41–42, was not just a political associate but a former Indian Air Force personnel who served nearly two decades before taking voluntary retirement, later moving briefly into the corporate sector before entering political coordination under Suvendu Adhikari.

Originally from Chandipur in Purba Medinipur, Chandranath Rath came from a family with deep local political connections, and sources say his family, like Adhikari’s, was earlier associated with the TMC during its early expansion phase before switching allegiance to the BJP around 2020.

He was closely linked to Suvendu Adhikari’s political journey and gradually became a trusted backroom operator, handling administrative duties, organisational coordination, logistics, and communication with party workers and legislators, often staying away from public visibility.

Investigators said Chandranath Rath was travelling back to his Madhyamgram residence with aide Buddhadeb Bera when attackers intercepted their SUV around 10.30 pm, allegedly using motorcycle-borne shooters and another blocking vehicle to execute a coordinated ambush.

Police suspect that at least six to ten rounds were fired during the attack, and preliminary forensic indications suggest the possible use of sophisticated weapons, with a senior officer noting, “A weapon of this nature is generally not used by ordinary criminals. We are examining whether professional shooters or contract killers were involved.”

Officials also recovered a four-wheeler from the crime scene, but “the number plate attached to the vehicle was found to be fake and tampered with,” raising suspicion that the attackers used false identification to evade tracing after the operation.

Eyewitness accounts described the attack as highly coordinated and professional, with one stating, “Just as Chandra’s car crossed mine, it suddenly stopped midway, and a bike-borne person came and started shooting from the left side of the car. The shooter seemed to be an expert and fled immediately. The shots were fired at point-blank range.”

Chandranath Rath sustained fatal bullet injuries to the chest and abdomen, with doctors confirming that bullets penetrated vital organs, while his driver, Buddhadeb Bera, also suffered multiple injuries and remains under treatment in critical condition after being rushed to a nearby hospital where Rath was declared brought dead.

The killing, which came just days after the West Bengal assembly poll results, has intensified political tensions, with Suvendu Adhikari calling it a “cold-blooded and pre-planned murder” and alleging reconnaissance before the attack, while he said, “This is the result of 15 years of Mahajungle Raj in Bengal,” even as BJP and TMC continue to trade allegations and police intensify investigation using CCTV footage and seized evidence.