Pradip Jha to Chandranath Rath: Why do mysterious deaths keep following Suvendu Adhikari’s aides?

The killing of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari’s personal assistant Chandranath Rath has triggered a fresh political storm in West Bengal, not only because of the brutal nature of the attack but also because it is not the first mysterious death involving someone close to the senior leader.

Rath was shot dead on May 6 in what eyewitnesses described as a calculated and professional hit.

The murder took place amid heightened post-poll tensions in West Bengal, where clashes between BJP and Trinamool Congress workers have intensified after the elections.

While the immediate political blame game revolves around post-poll violence, Rath’s death has also reopened older questions surrounding a disturbing pattern linked to Adhikari’s close aides and associates.

Over the last decade, several individuals considered part of Adhikari’s inner circle have died under controversial or suspicious circumstances.

In most cases, allegations, rumours, and political accusations followed, but no publicly conclusive findings have ever fully settled the controversies.

Timeline of deaths

1. 2013: Pradip Jha found dead in Kolkata

Pradip Jha, a former personal assistant and political secretary to Suvendu Adhikari during his Trinamool Congress years, was found unconscious on Strand Road in Kolkata on August 3, 2013.

The 42-year-old, a resident of Barasat, had worked closely with TMC parliamentarians, including Adhikari. Police initially reported no visible injury marks. An autopsy suggested he may have choked after consuming excessive alcohol.

However, Jha’s family and political associates rejected the theory and alleged murder. Though an investigation was launched, no clear public conclusion ever emerged.

2. 2018: Bodyguard Subhabrata Chakraborty dies of gunshot wound

In 2018, Subhabrata Chakraborty, a State Armed Police personnel attached to Adhikari’s security team for over seven years, was found with a gunshot injury inside a police barrack in Kanthi, Purba Medinipur, opposite Adhikari’s residence.

He later died in the hospital. Authorities initially treated the case as suicide. However, after Adhikari switched from the TMC to the BJP in 2021, the case reportedly came under renewed scrutiny.

3. 2021: Pulak Lahiri’s death sparks controversy

Pulak Lahiri, considered one of Adhikari’s trusted associates and former driver, also died under mysterious circumstances in 2021.

Lahiri reportedly remained close to Adhikari even after the latter joined the BJP and allegedly worked as one of his counting agents during the high-profile Nandigram Assembly election battle.

Early reports suggested suicide by hanging, but soon political speculation intensified.

Claims surfaced that Lahiri may have possessed sensitive election-related information, though no official investigation or legal conclusion has established those allegations.

4. 2026: Chandranath Rath shot dead

Chandranath Rath, Adhikari’s personal assistant, became the latest name added to the troubling list after he was shot dead on May 6.

Eyewitnesses reportedly described the attack as pre-planned and professionally executed, intensifying speculation over whether Rath was specifically targeted.

The repeated deaths of people closely associated with Adhikari have now become a major talking point in Bengal’s political circles.

Opposition voices and sections of political observers are questioning whether these incidents are isolated tragedies or part of a deeper and more dangerous pattern.

At the same time, no official evidence has publicly linked the deaths together.

Investigative agencies have not established any direct conspiracy connecting the incidents, and several cases continue to remain unresolved or disputed.

Still, Rath’s killing has once again pushed uncomfortable questions into the spotlight: Why do so many people from Suvendu Adhikari’s inner circle end up dead under suspicious circumstances?

Is this merely a coincidence shaped by Bengal’s violent political culture, or is someone politically benefiting from the repeated tragedies around the BJP leader?

For now, the answers remain elusive, but the pattern continues to fuel intense political speculation across West Bengal.