NORTH 24 PARGANAS: BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday alleged that the killing of his personal assistant Chandranath Rath was a “premeditated murder,” claiming he was targeted because of his association with him and his political defeat of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur.
Addressing reporters while the mortal remains of Rath were brought from the hospital to his residence in Madhyamgram, Adhikari said, “No matter how much we condemn the way this murder was carried out, it is not enough. He was killed because he was my aide, and I defeated Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur. This could be the reason for his murder.”
Demanding action against the murdered he added, “I stand with his family, and the family’s demand is to apprehend those who committed this murder and ensure they are punished. The postmortem revealed that 4 bullets were fired at him... this murder was premeditated.”
Calling the incident a targeted attack, Adhikari alleged that the killing was executed with precision. “This was a planned operation. A recce was conducted for several days, and the victim was followed before being shot at close range,” he said.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal Police have intensified their investigation, with forensic teams examining evidence collected from the spot. The state CID has also questioned local leads as part of the probe.
Earlier in the day, senior officials, including the Director General of the Border Security Force, visited the crime scene in Madhyamgram.
Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress has demanded a court-monitored CBI investigation into the incident, calling for a thorough and impartial probe.
Rath, a former Indian Air Force personnel who had been serving as Adhikari’s personal assistant, was shot dead near Madhyamgram on Wednesday. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to injuries. (ANI)
Also Read: Don’t adopt TMC culture of violence after poll victory: Suvendu Adhikari