Shooting of political aide heightens tensions in West Bengal following elections

WEB DESK: Police in West Bengal have launched a murder investigation after a senior political aide was shot dead in the state capital, just days after a shift in the regional government.

The victim, identified as 41-year-old Chandranath Rath, was an assistant to Suvendu Adhikari, a prominent leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), according to SCMP.

The incident occurred late on Wednesday night in the Madhyamgram area of Kolkata, according to local authorities.

Details of the incident

Initial police reports suggest that Mr Rath was travelling in his vehicle when he was intercepted by unidentified assailants on motorcycles.

Witnesses told investigators that a barrage of gunfire was directed at the vehicle, with the victim suffering multiple gunshot wounds to the chest.

“The attackers used motorcycles with falsified registration plates, which have since been recovered,” stated West Bengal Police Chief Siddh Nath Gupta.

“We are currently reviewing CCTV footage to identify the suspects.” Medical staff at Apollo Hospital confirmed that Mr Rath had no vital signs upon arrival.

Political atmosphere

The killing comes at a time of significant political transition in the state of 100 million people. On Monday, official results confirmed that the BJP secured 207 of the 294 assembly seats, marking its first-ever majority in West Bengal and ending 15 years of governance by Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC).

The transition has been marred by reports of sporadic clashes between rival supporters. While the BJP has scheduled a swearing-in ceremony for its new administration this Saturday, the atmosphere remains tense.

Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the opposition and a frontrunner for the Chief Ministerial post, characterised the shooting as a “pre-planned assassination” intended to intimidate the incoming government.

The Trinamool Congress has officially denied any involvement in the shooting. In a public statement, the party condemned the violence and alleged that its own supporters have also been targeted in the post-election period.

Security has been tightened across Kolkata and surrounding districts, with additional police observers deployed to prevent further escalations.