Following the recent state assembly elections in West Bengal, political tensions have escalated into lethal violence. On Wednesday night, gunmen on motorbikes ambushed and killed Chandranath Rath, a 41-year-old political aide to the state’s BJP chief, Suvendu Adhikari. The attack occurred near Rath’s home in Kolkata around 11 pm, where assailants blocked his vehicle and fired approximately a dozen shots, striking him multiple times in the chest.
Medical professionals confirmed that Rath was brought dead to the hospital following the “cold-blooded murder”. This incident marks at least the fifth death reported in the state since the election results were finalized on Monday. The West Bengal police have seized the motorbikes used in the ambush, noting they carried fake registration numbers, and are currently pursuing the suspects.
The violence follows a historic shift in the region’s leadership, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party secured 207 of the 294 assembly seats. This victory ended the long-standing tenure of Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress (TMC), which had governed the state since 2011. While the BJP prepares for its leader to be sworn in as chief minister this Saturday, both major parties have traded accusations regarding the ongoing unrest. BJP officials allege the murder was a planned act by the TMC, while the TMC has denied involvement and countered with claims that their own supporters are being targeted by BJP-backed miscreants.
