BJP aide shot dead in India’s West Bengal days after historic election win
Gunmen on motorbikes ambushed a close aide to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari...
Gunmen on motorbikes ambushed and killed Chandranath Rath, 41, a close aide of West Bengal BJP chief Suvendu Adhikari, near his home in Kolkata on Wednesday evening. The attack came just two days after the BJP won a landslide victory in the state elections, taking 207 of the 294 assembly seats, marking its first-ever win in the eastern state of over 100 million people. Adhikari, now tipped to become the next state chief minister, described the murder as 'cold-blooded'. Police said the attackers blocked Rath's vehicle with motorbikes before firing about a dozen shots, hitting him multiple times in the heart. The incident has raised concerns about political violence in the region following the high-stakes election.
- Chandranath Rath, 41, killed near his home in Kolkata by gunmen on motorbikes
- Attack occurred two days after BJP's historic win of 207 out of 294 state assembly seats
- Suvendu Adhikari, BJP chief and likely next chief minister, called it 'cold-blooded murder'
Why It Matters
Political violence threatens stability and trust in West Bengal's democratic process following a historic election shift.