BJP Leader Suvendu Adhikari's PA Shot Dead In Madhyamgram
Kolkata: Chandranath Rath, personal assistant to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, was brutally shot dead late Wednesday night in Madhyamgram, just 200 meters from his residence, leaving the local community in shock and raising serious concerns about law and order in the state.
Eyewitnesses described a terrifying scene: Rath’s Scorpio SUV was surrounded by attackers who opened fire at close range. His driver, Buddhadev Bera, sustained multiple injuries and is currently receiving treatment at Apollo Hospital, Kolkata.
"Blood was gushing from his chest; he couldn’t speak," an eyewitness recounted. "The driver kept shouting, ‘Sir, what has happened to you?’ when we arrived at the scene."
A Carefully Planned Attack
Preliminary investigations indicate the attack was premeditated. Rath was returning home from Kolkata when a suspicious vehicle, reportedly with a Siliguri registration plate that may have been fake, blocked his path. Eight assailants on four motorcycles, all wearing helmets, then opened fire, leaving Rath fatally wounded and Bera critically injured. CCTV footage from nearby areas is being reviewed as part of the ongoing investigation.
Doctors reported that Rath suffered two bullet wounds to his left chest. Despite intensive medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries. Bera sustained three bullet wounds, including to the chest and abdomen, and his condition is currently stable.
Political Reactions Intensify
Suvendu Adhikari visited the hospital late at night, accompanied by BJP leaders and party workers, calling the attack a “premeditated murder” and describing Rath as one of his most trusted aides.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) also expressed grief and condemned the incident on social media, emphasizing that political violence is unacceptable and urging authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice. The attack has further heightened political tensions in West Bengal, with BJP alleging a political conspiracy while police continue a detailed investigation.
