(Image source from: ANI)
The personal aide of Suvendu Adhikari, a BJP leader in West Bengal, was killed in Madhyamgram two days after the party's major victory in the assembly elections. Chandranath Rath, the aide, was struck by three bullets out of four while he was in a moving vehicle. The attackers trailed his car and fired as it slowed down. Images revealed the front left window of the car was shattered with bullet marks. Chandranath Rath had been with Suvendu Adhikari for many years, managing political activities and other duties for the BJP leader. He was regarded as a close member of Suvendu Adhikari’s trusted group. Suvendu Adhikari hurried to the hospital in Madhyagram where police held his aide's body. Reports indicated that Rath's driver, Buddhadeb, was hurt and was taken to a medical facility following the incident in the North 24 Parganas district assembly area near Kolkata. Suvendu Adhikari was not in the vehicle with his aide at the time of the shooting, according to his brother, Dibyendu Adhikari. He called for a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry, accusing the Trinamool Congress of being involved in the shooting.
"This act reflects the culture of violence that has been nurtured by the Trinamool Congress over the years. He has been viciously murdered. We need a complete investigation. There is a larger scheme behind this murder," said BJP leader Nikhil Prasun. Suvendu Adhikari labeled it a "cold-blooded murder" and claimed that the attackers had surveyed the area before the incident. Talking to reporters outside the hospital where Rath was brought after being shot, Adhikari expressed that the happening was "devastating. " "This situation is deeply saddening; we strongly denounce it," the BJP leader stated. "The manner in which the assault was carried out clearly indicates that the attackers had prepared in advance," he accused. BJP leader Devdas Mondal charged the Trinamool with murdering an "innocent man." "We will find out who did this and ensure they are punished," he proclaimed. The Trinamool Congress expressed their condemnation of the murder in a post on X, alleging that "BJP-supported criminals" have been engaging in violence after the election.
Rathin Ghosh from the Trinamool won the election in Madhyamgram by 2,399 votes, despite a strong challenge from the BJP. The death of Adhikari's aide coincides with allegations from the BJP that Trinamool Congress members pretending to be BJP supporters are attempting to provoke violence. Social media clips displayed random groups vandalizing public property. Kolkata Police Chief Ajay Kumar Nand stated that at least 80 individuals were arrested, with 65 being taken into custody for specific incidents, while an additional 15 were detained for preventive reasons. Adhikari, known as the "giant killer" after defeating Mamata Banerjee in the Bhabanipur seat by more than 15,000 votes, is a leading candidate for the chief minister role.
