Chandranath Rath's Trajectory: From Being In Air Force To Adhikari’s Confidant

Days after the May 4 results of the West Bengal Assembly elections, post-poll violence has gripped West Bengal. Videos showing bulldozers demolishing multiple structures in Kolkata’s iconic New Market on May 5 have circulated widely online.

Amid the unrest, both the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have claimed that two of their party workers were killed in the violence. In the latest incident, a close aide of Suvendu Adhikari, Chandranath Rath, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in North 24 Parganas district on Wednesday.

Rath was travelling to his home in Barasat on Tuesday night, seated in the front passenger seat of a Scorpio SUV. According to an Indian Express report, the vehicle was intercepted around 11 pm after a car allegedly blocked its path, forcing the driver to slow down.

Soon after, a motorcycle carrying the assailants pulled up alongside the SUV on Rath’s side. The attackers then opened fire through the rolled-up window, firing multiple rounds at close range. Three bullets struck Rath, who succumbed to his injuries shortly afterwards. The driver of the SUV also sustained injuries in the attack.

Visuals from the scene showed a large bullet hole in the window of the vehicle.

According to media reports, Rath, popularly known as “Chandra” among BJP leaders in Bengal, was regarded as a close confidant of Adhikari. A former Indian Air Force officer, he had served in the force for nearly two decades after completing his studies at Rahara Ramakrishna Mission. He later opted for voluntary retirement and joined Adhikari while the latter was still with the TMC. 

Rath formally became part of Adhikari’s official team around 2019, when Adhikari was serving as a minister in the government led by Mamata Banerjee. His mother, Hashi Rath, is a panchayat member in Chandipur in Purba Medinipur district of West Bengal. Adhikari, who went on to defeat Banerjee in the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency, is now the frontrunner for the post of West Bengal Chief Minister. He has served as the Leader of Opposition and chief of the West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party since May 2021.

After the incident, Adhikari said to the media: “We are shocked, pained and hurt. We have no language to condemn this incident. JP Nadda ji has called to take stock of the situation. We are not coming to any conclusions.” 

“The DGP has come and has assured us that the investigation is on and that they will identify the culprits. They have said this is a pre-planned and cold-blooded murder that was carried out after a recce for two to three days. We appeal to all BJP supporters and leaders: don’t take the law into your hands,” Adhikari said as a large crowd of BJP supporters gathered at the hospital after Rath’s killing. 

Many BJP politicians have accused the TMC of plotting Rath’s killing. The TMC has condemned the incident. “We strongly condemn the brutal murder of Chandranath Rath in Madhyamgram tonight, along with the killing of three other TMC workers in incidents of post-poll violence allegedly carried out by BJP-backed miscreants over the last three days, despite the Model Code of Conduct being in force,” the party said on X.