‘They threatened us after the 4th, then...’: Suvendu Adhikari aide Chandranath Rath’s mother

The murder of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari’s personal assistant Chandranath Rath in North 24 Parganas has triggered a massive political storm in West Bengal, with his grieving mother demanding life imprisonment for the killers and accusing the ruling dispensation of creating an atmosphere of fear and violence.

In an emotionally charged reaction after the killing, Rath’s mother, Hasirani Rath, demanded strict punishment for the accused and alleged that the murder was politically motivated.

Speaking after her son was shot dead near Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas on Wednesday night, Rath said she did not want the accused to be hanged, but wanted them to spend the rest of their lives in prison.

“I want the guilty to be punished. I am a mother, I do not want them to be hanged. I want life imprisonment for them,” she said while breaking down before reporters.

Chandranath, a close aide and personal assistant to Adhikari, was attacked by unidentified assailants late Wednesday night.

Police said he suffered multiple bullet injuries to the head, chest, and abdomen. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

The murder took place in Madhyamgram in the North 24 Parganas district and has intensified the already volatile political atmosphere in Bengal following the recent elections.

Visuals from the crime scene showed Rath’s vehicle riddled with bullet holes, with shattered glass and blood stains visible inside the car. The vehicle also carried a ‘West Bengal Legislative Assembly On Duty’ sticker.

As BJP leaders reached the spot, Rath’s mother accused the ruling Trinamool Congress ecosystem of fuelling an atmosphere that emboldened criminals.

“They did this because the BJP came to power. Our state president and leaders repeatedly appealed to maintain peace and law and order. But leaders from the ruling party were making provocative comments and threatening people,” she alleged.

Referring to recent political rhetoric, she added, “They were saying after the 4th, nobody from Delhi would be able to save us. After the 4th, they showed what they meant.”

In a particularly emotional moment, Hasirani Rath said the brutality of the attack had left the family devastated beyond words.

“If my son had died in an accident, I would not have suffered this much. The way they tortured and killed my son…,” she said before breaking down.

She also alleged that her family had been under threat ever since Adhikari defeated Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram during the 2021 Assembly elections.

“Since Suvendu Babu defeated Banerjee, our family has faced danger,” she claimed.

Meanwhile, Adhikari termed the killing a “cold-blooded, pre-planned murder” and claimed that the attackers had conducted a recce for several days before carrying out the attack.

According to Adhikari, senior police officials, including the Director General of Police, suspect the murder was carefully planned.

He also said that Union minister Sukanta Majumdar had spoken to Rath’s family and that investigators had already recovered some evidence.

Adhikari launched a sharp attack on the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, describing Bengal as a “maha jungle raj” under the ruling party’s 15-year regime. He further warned that the BJP would soon begin “cleansing” such criminal elements from the state.

Following the murder, several senior BJP leaders rushed to the scene, intensifying political tensions in the district.

The TMC, however, condemned the killing and also referred to the deaths of three TMC workers in separate incidents of alleged post-poll violence over the past few days.

The ruling party demanded a court-monitored CBI probe into all incidents of political violence and called for the “strongest possible action” against those responsible.

Police said an investigation into Rath’s murder is underway, and efforts are being made to identify and arrest the assailants.