In the latest development in the death of Suvendu Adhikari's personal assistant, Chandranath Rath, it has been found that the accused are linked to Uttar Pradesh. While conducting an investigation, the Special Investigation Team discovered several suspicious contact numbers.
The investigating team then travelled to Badaun and Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh. Afterwards, they interrogated two people. Although DGP Rajiv Krishna did not confirm where the team went in UP, he mentioned that the team came to the state for conducting an investigation.
How Did The Matter Escalate?
West Bengal's to-be CM Suvendu Adhikari's personal assistant Chandranath Rath was shot dead in West Bengal's Madhyamgram area in the North 24 Parganas district on Wednesday. Rath died at the spot after multiple rounds were shot at him. As per Jagran.com, the killing was conducted by professional shooters. They were carrying out surveillance of the area for nearly 72 hours before carrying out the attack.
Border police stations have been put on alert, while CCTV footage from multiple locations is being scanned as part of the investigation. Round seven to eight people were involved in the killing and had allegedly created a WhatsApp group to coordinate the operation. Police believe two sharp shooters were among the attackers.
The incident occurred at around 10:20 pm in theDoharia area on Jessore Road in Madhyamgram. Rath, 41, was travelling in his white Scorpio SUV when another car allegedly intercepted his vehicle. Moments later, motorcycle-borne assailants reportedly opened fire at point-blank range.
As per the reports, the accused used Glock 47X pistols and fired several rounds. Rath sustained three bullet injuries to his chest and abdomen. His associate and driver, Buddhadev Bera, was also shot during the attack and remains in critical condition.
Considering the severity of the case, the West Bengal government formed an SIT to investigate the case. CCTV footage examined by investigators suggests that the attackers executed the entire operation in just 50 seconds. Around 10 rounds were fired near Rath’s vehicle using sophisticated automatic weapons. Police suspect the sharp shooters were inside the car that blocked Rath’s vehicle, while the motorcycle-borne assailants followed from behind.
The Post-Mortem Report
The postmortem reports said that Rath had sustained three bullet injuries. According to doctors, Rath died of excessive blood loss and multiple organ failure. He was declared dead on arrival at the hospital.
Reacting to the incident, Suvendu Adhikari described the killing of his aide as “cold-blooded” and “pre-planned.” He claimed Chandranath Rath was targeted for playing a key role in election management during the Nandigram and recent Bhabanipur elections.