Suvendu Adhikari’s Personal Assistant Shot Dead
According to reports, the victim, who was serving as Adhikari’s personal assistant, was attacked in a busy and reportedly high-security area of the city.
Kolkata: In a shocking development within 48 hours of West Bengal assembly poll results, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari's personal assistant, Chandranath Rath, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in the northern fringes of Kolkata on Wednesday night, triggering sharp political reactions and heightened tension in the area.The incident took place at Doharia in Madhyamgram's Doltala area in North 24 Parganas district, where Rath, who served as the executive assistant to the leader of the opposition in the state assembly, was shot at point-blank range by motorcycle-borne assailants, sources said.
According to preliminary information, the attackers followed Rath's car, intercepted it, shot him through the rolled-up window from the opposite side and fled the scene immediately after carrying out the attack. He was seated in the front seat next to the driver.
Rath's driver also sustained bullet injuries and was shifted to a Kolkata hospital, where his condition was stated to be critical.
Local news channels reported that Rath sustained critical injuries in the firing and was rushed to a nearby private hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival, the official media channel of the BJP said.
"The victim was brought dead with multiple bullet injuries on his chest, which pierced his heart, and another bullet on his abdominal area. There was no opportunity to resuscitate him," a hospital doctor said.
Rath, according to party sources, played a crucial role in Adhikari's campaigns in the Bhabanipur constituency where the BJP leader triumphed over former chief minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee.
In a statement to a vernacular news channel, BJP leader and MLA-elect Kaustav Bagchi, who was present at the hospital said, "This was a targeted attack. The assailants followed Rath's car for a long time before pumping him with bullets. This is the handiwork of Mamata and Abhishek Banerjee. We will not rest until the criminals are identified. We will not cremate the body till then."
According to sources, Adhikari was on the way to the hospital.
"We have been preaching peace, but TMC has made the biggest blunder," newly elected BJP MLA Tarunjyoti Tewari said.
News of the incident spread quickly, prompting the deployment of a large police contingent in the area amid rising tension.
Senior police officers reached the spot and launched an investigation.
Efforts were underway to identify the assailants and ascertain the motive behind the attack, sources said.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the state's political circles.
Earlier, a BJP worker was killed at Rajarhat-New Town on Tuesday night. The victim, Madhu Mondal, was beaten to death by a group of TMC workers just after BJP candidate Pijush Kanoria won by a margin of 316 votes against Tapas Chatterjee in a close contest in the Assembly constituency.
Mr Kanoria, who rushed to the spot, said: “It hasn't been even four hours after my victory that I had to pay tribute to my brother.” Around the same time, a meat shop and a TMC party office were bulldozed with a JCB by BJP workers at New Market, the top destination for shopping, in central Kolkata in presence of the police and Central forces’ personnel.
TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien posted a video of the incident on X, and said: “In central Kolkata, near New Market. With police permission. As part of victory celebrations, a bulldozer was brought in to demolish meat shops. CAPF standing around. THE BJP FOR YOU. Let the world see these pictures.”
At Barasat in North 24 Parganas, a park, Siraj Udyan, was renamed by BJP workers as Sivaji Udyan. On Wednesday morning, Kolkata police commissioner Ajay Nanda ordered a ban on the use of bulldozers without permission and said that 80 people have been arrested in various cases of violence so far. He said that those who rent bulldozers will be booked in cases.
In the afternoon, state DGP S.N. Gupta asserted that police action will be taken against trouble makers. In Murshidabad, a group of BJP supporters damaged Communist icon Lenin's statue at Jiagunj on Wednesday night. CPI(M) workers demonstrated at Jiagunj police station against the vandalism and demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits. Later, five accused were arrested.
At Juginda in Domkal, a CPI(M) supporter, Safikul Islam, suffered bullet injuries when TMC workers opened fire on him. He was admitted to Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital. The police arrested six persons. At Kunjaghata in Berhampore, a man was injured after he was beaten with iron rods by a group of people. Armed BJP workers reportedly ransacked the car of TMC Kandi Municipality councillor Saheli Das Mishra.
