Vehicles with fake number plates used to shoot Suvendu Adhikari’s aide: West Bengal police

According to the West Bengal police, vehicles with fake number plates were used to target and kill Chandranath Rath, the personal assistant of outgoing Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, late on Wednesday night (May 6, 2026). A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted to investigate the attack and forensic experts visited the crime scene in Madhyamgram, North 24 Parganas.

“If he hadn’t been my helper or I hadn’t won [outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee] If he had been in Bhabanipur, maybe they wouldn’t have targeted Rath. His crime was to be my personal assistant,” Mr. Adhikari said after visiting his assistant’s family at Barasat Medical College and Hospital, where an autopsy was performed on Rath’s body.

Claiming that this was a targeted attack by hired assassins who left the area for a week before committing the murder, the BJP leader called for the killers to face the death penalty.

Car, getaway bike used fake license plate

Rath, 41, was shot three times at close range and seriously injured while in a white SUV. The person, who was taken to a nearby private hospital, was pronounced dead. While a silver car used by the attackers was abandoned near the crime scene, the suspects reportedly fled the scene on two-wheelers. The four-wheeler was seized by the police.

“The number plate of the vehicle was defaced because the original registration number belonged to Siliguri. It was a fake number plate. We have collected evidence from the scene. We are conducting further investigation,” Director General of West Bengal Police Siddhi Nath Gupta said in a statement early on Thursday. One of the motorcycles used to escape the scene was also seized and it was also stated that a fake license plate was used.

Rath, fondly called Chandra, was a pilot by profession but had resigned and worked in a private job for a while before working for Mr Adhikari eight years ago. He had a residence in Madhyamgram’s Doharia area when he was shot dead on Wednesday night.

“I heard gunshots and rushed to the spot. There were three people in the car, two of them were bleeding and one was crying for help. But they were still alive and breathing, so we asked them to go to the hospital where he was declared dead,” said Sushanta Sarkar, a BJP worker and resident of Doharia. Hindu on Thursday. He was one of the bystanders who helped rescue the victims.

‘Paradise for criminals’

A large crowd gathered at the hospital after the autopsy and mourners, BJP leaders and workers paid their respects to Rath before his body was taken to his family home in the Chandipur area of ​​Purba Medinipur district, which is also Mr Adhikari’s hometown.

Visiting the government hospital again on Thursday morning (May 7), BJP State President Samik Bhattacharya said West Bengal has become a “paradise” for criminals, thanks to the Trinamool Congress government’s 15-year tenure in the state.

“Yesterday’s incident proves the current state of law and order in West Bengal. In the last 15 years, they have destroyed the administration, politicized the police and put all the criminals out of fear,” Mr. Bhattacharya said.

‘Revenge murder’

Rath’s grief-stricken mother told reporters that it was a revenge killing as her son worked for the BJP. “As a mother, I cannot wish death on anyone, but I will ask for life imprisonment for the criminals,” she said.

The Trinamool Congress was quick to condemn the attack. “We demand the strongest possible action in this matter, including a court-monitored CBI investigation, to identify those responsible without delay and bring them to justice,” said a post on TMC’s official account on

Another BJP worker, who was shot in Bashirhath on Wednesday night, was also injured and is receiving treatment.

Post-election violence

West Bengal police said at least two deaths have been reported since the Assembly election results were announced on May 4, but it has not been confirmed whether they were just due to post-election violence. At least 200 FIRs were lodged, 433 arrests were made and another 1,100 preventive arrests were also made.

People carrying BJP flags bulldozed a TMC party office in central Kolkata’s New Market area on Tuesday evening. Although Kolkata police said that action would be taken against the police officers present at the scene, no such action has been taken yet.

Following the BJP’s landslide victory, numerous cases of vandalism, clashes and arson were reported from many parts of the state, leaving the TMC facing a humiliating loss in the Assembly after 15 years.

It was published – 07 May 2026 21:19 IST