Suvendu Adhikari PA murder: SIT formed, IG-rank officer to lead probe in West Bengal
Political violence intensified in West Bengal just days before the new government’s oath-taking ceremony as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari’s personal assistant (PA) Chandranath Rath was shot dead in North 24 Parganas on Wednesday late night. The incident has triggered a sharp political storm in the state. The police have begun a large-scale search for the attackers, although no major breakthrough has been reported so far. Fresh inputs indicate that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has now been constituted to probe the killing.
According to officials, a dedicated SIT has been set up to investigate the murder of Chandranath Rath. The team will be headed by an Inspector General (IG)-level officer. Police personnel from various districts and specialised units will be part of this SIT, they said. The team will examine every layer of the case and attempt to uncover any conspiracy behind the attack, officials added.
Police sources also confirmed that several suspects are currently in custody. However, the main shooters are still absconding. Three local history-sheeters are being questioned to determine whether they assisted in the execution of the crime.
How the attack was executed
As per preliminary details, the murder took place around 10.30 pm in North 24 Parganas’ Madhyamgram region. Rath was returning home from Kolkata when his Scorpio reached the Dohria stretch. A car trailing him suddenly overtook his vehicle and, immediately after that, assailants on a motorcycle opened a burst of gunfire from the left side of the Scorpio, targeting Rath directly.
BJP supporters stage protest
Earlier on Thursday, BJP supporters staged a road blockade in West Bengal’s Paschim Medinipur district, protesting the murder of Rath. The situation in Madhyamgram remained tense but peaceful, with senior BJP leaders present at the spot while police and central forces kept vigil. At Salboni in Paschim Medinipur, around 200 BJP activists and supporters blocked an arterial road with burning tyres and raised slogans alleging a conspiracy by the TMC behind Rath’s killing ahead of the swearing-in of the new government.
The attackers fled the spot soon after the shooting. Rath sustained bullet injuries to his chest, abdomen and face. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but doctors declared him dead on arrival. His driver also suffered gunshot wounds and remains in a critical condition. He has been shifted to a Kolkata hospital for advanced treatment.
