Select Language:
Gunmen riding motorbikes in West Bengal ambushed and shot dead a political aide from the ruling Hindu-nationalist party, police reported Thursday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a decisive victory Monday in the eastern state, which has a population of over 100 million, winning 207 out of 294 assembly seats—marking the party’s first-ever win in West Bengal.
Chandranath Rath, 41, an aide to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, was shot and killed late Wednesday near his residence in Kolkata. Adhikari, who leads the opposition in the state assembly and is expected to become the next chief minister, called the attack a “cold-blooded murder.”
According to police, Rath’s vehicle was halted by motorbikes, which then opened fire with around a dozen shots, hitting Rath multiple times in the chest. West Bengal police chief Siddh Nath Gupta told AFP, “The shooting took place around 11 p.m. on Wednesday — the bikes used to stop Rath’s car have been recovered. The bikes had fake license plates, and we are actively searching for the assailants.”
At Apollo Hospital, doctor Pritam Sengupta confirmed Rath was “brought dead with multiple gunshot wounds to his chest.” Since the election results were announced, the total number of people killed has risen to at least five.
Historically, West Bengal has been governed by Mamata Banerjee, a fierce critic and opponent of Modi, who has been chief minister since 2011. She lost her seat in the recent elections and has dismissed the results.
Experts see the BJP’s victory in this predominantly Bengali-speaking state as a major milestone, expanding its influence beyond its traditional base in north and central India. The attack has heightened political tensions, with both parties now exchanging accusations about the violence.
BJP West Bengal president Samik Bhattacharya accused Trinamool Congress (TMC)—Banerjee’s party—of orchestrating the murder, claiming, “This was a planned attack, and TMC is responsible.” The TMC condemned the killing but also accused the BJP of targeting their supporters, issuing a statement that strongly condemned Rath’s murder and denounced attacks on TMC members alleged to be carried out by BJP supporters.
The BJP plans to officially swear in their leader as the state’s chief minister this coming Saturday.
ChatGPT
Perplexity
Gemini AI
Grok AI
