Chandranath Rath (42), personal assistant (PA) to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, was shot dead in Madhyamgram, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, at 10:30 pm on Wednesday night. At the time of the incident, Chandranath was returning home from Kolkata to Madhyamgram in his Scorpio.
Suvendu Adhikari: According to reports, he was sitting next to the driver’s seat. He was accompanied by the driver and another person. A car came from behind and blocked the Scorpio between Dolatala and Madhyamgram, about 20 kilometers from Kolkata.
Then, an attacker arrived on a motorcycle and fired six to ten rounds from the left side of the Scorpio. Chandranath was hit four times, two of which pierced his chest and one struck his stomach. The driver, Buddhadeb Bera, was also hit.
After the incident, the attackers abandoned the car and fled on a bike. The injured were immediately taken to a nearby hospital, where Chandranath was declared dead. The driver is in critical condition. The BJP has accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of orchestrating the incident.
Suvendu Adhikari's PA Chandranath Rath is who coordinated with the Bhawanipore BJP Team to defeat Mamata Banerjee. I too have met him. This is one of the most heinous & despicable act TMC did last night. They have shot him dead solely to take their revenge against that defeat pic.twitter.com/fhmSHUatDC
— Sudhanidhi Bandyopadhyay (@SudhanidhiB) May 7, 2026Firing from Glock 47X pistol, bike without number plate
According to preliminary forensic input, the attackers used a Glock 47X pistol. Such a sophisticated weapon is not typically used by ordinary criminals. The manner of the attack could only have been carried out by a professional shooter.
The bike-borne attacker was wearing a helmet and did not have a license plate. Police seized the car that blocked the Scorpio’s path from the scene. However, the license plate on the car turned out to be fake.
About an hour after the firing on Chandranath Rath, at around 12:30 am, a BJP worker named Rohit Roy was shot in Basirhat district. His condition is critical. Five people have been killed in the state since the election results on May 4th. Of these, three were associated with the BJP and two with the TMC.
Murder took place after 2-3 days of recce- Suvendu Adhikari
Suvendu Adhikari described the killing of his PA as a planned murder. He appealed to party workers to maintain peace and said that the BJP would begin the cleansing of gangsters in Bengal.
Police traced the vehicle
Bengal police have traced the original vehicle whose number plate was used by the attackers last night. The vehicle was registered in Siliguri, North Bengal. The real owner of the car says that he had put his car up for sale online about two weeks ago and it is possible that he got the copy of his number plate from there.
The Bengal police are questioning three local history-sheeters in the case. However, the main attackers remain at large.
Who was Chandranath Rath?
Chandranath Rath was considered a trusted aide of Adhikari and had been closely associated with him for many years. He was actively involved in political work, including the high-profile Bhawanipur election. Senior BJP leader Keya Ghosh claimed that Chandranath was targeted because of his political role. She said, “Chandranath worked very hard for Suvendu Adhikari. This is not a random incident. There could be a political rivalry behind this murder.”
BJP accuses TMC
Chandranath’s murder has quickly become the center of a political controversy, with BJP leaders alleging the involvement of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). BJP MLA Tarunjyoti Tiwari said, “We are giving the message of peace, but TMC has made the biggest mistake.”
TMC demanded CBI inquiry
The TMC has denied allegations that its party workers were involved in the murder of Suvendu’s personal assistant (PA) and demanded a CBI investigation into the matter. The party issued a statement late Wednesday night, saying “We condemn the brutal murder of Chandranath Rath in Madhyamgram. We demand the strictest possible action in this case, including a court-monitored CBI investigation. The murders of other BJP and TMC workers should also be investigated.”
We strongly condemn the brutal murder of Chandranath Rath in Madhyamgram tonight, along with the killing of three other TMC workers in incidents of post-poll violence allegedly carried out by BJP-backed miscreants over the last three days, despite the Model Code of Conduct being…
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) May 6, 2026Read More: New spiritual landmark: PM Modi to unveil Meditation Temple
