More chilling details have emerged in the killing of Bengal BJP leader SuvenduAdhikari’s close aide Chandranath Rath, who was allegedly chased, trapped
and shot dead by bike-borne assailants near Kolkata airport late Wednesday night. Rath, who had served as Adhikari’s personal assistant for nearly five years, was heading towards his Michaelnagar home in North 24 Parganas district around 10.20 pm when the attack took place on a relatively deserted stretch of Jessore Road, barely three kilometres from the airport. According to eyewitnesses, as quoted by The Times of India, and preliminary police findings, eight armed men riding four motorcycles allegedly tailed Rath’s Scorpio before intercepting the vehicle near Doharia area of Madhyamgram and opening fire at close range.
Attack Planned With Precision, Say Police
Police said a silver Nissan Car suddenly swerved in front of Rath’s SUV and blocked its path, forcing the vehicle to halt. Moments later, motorcycle-borne assailants pulled up alongside and opened fire indiscriminately.Rath suffered bullet injuries to his chest and stomach, while driver Buddhadeb Bera was hit in the chest, abdomen and leg. The attackers fled immediately after the firing. Locals rushed both men to a nearby private hospital, where doctors declared Rath dead. Bera was later shifted to another medical facility and remains critical.
“It appears the attackers were specifically targeting Rath,” a senior police officer said, as quoted by TOI, adding that all angles, including political and personal motives, are being examined.
At least six to ten rounds may have been fired during the attack, he said, adding that the assailants reportedly wore helmets and used motorcycles without number plates to avoid identification.
Police suspect that sophisticated firearms may have been used in the attack, with preliminary forensic assessments indicating the possible use of Glock 47X pistols, officials said.
Investigators believe the nature of the weaponry points to the involvement of trained shooters rather than ordinary criminals. “Weapons like these are not commonly used in routine crimes. We are probing whether professional hitmen were involved,” a senior West Bengal Police officer told PTI, on condition of anonymity.
Political Storm Erupts In Bengal
Calling the murder “cold-blooded” and “meticulously planned”, Suvendu Adhikari alleged that the attackers had conducted a recce before the ambush.“This is a pre-planned murder. A recce was done for two to three days before the attack was executed,” Adhikari said.
Early findings suggest the attackers, believed to have been riding four motorcycles, intercepted Rath’s vehicle in a coordinated operation before opening fire from close range.
State DGP Siddhinath Gupta said police have seized a suspicious vehicle allegedly used to block Rath’s car during the attack. However, investigators later found that the number plate attached to the vehicle was fake, while its original registration traced back to Siliguri.
“We have recovered empty cartridges as well as live ammunition from the scene. The exact motive behind the attack remains unclear at this stage,” Gupta told reporters.
(With Inputs from Priyank Tripathi)
