A Sharpshooter, a History-Sheeter & One UPI Payment: How the Cops of 3 States Nabbed 'Killers' of Suvendu Adhikari’s PA Chandranath Rath

New Delhi: The investigation into the murder of Chandranath Rath, personal assistant to West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, has taken a major turn with the arrest of three sharpshooters. 

The arrests were made during a coordinated operation involving the West Bengal CID along with Bihar and Uttar Pradesh Police. 

According to the West Bengal CID, three suspects identified as Mayank Raj Mishra, Vicky Maurya and Raj Singh were detained on May 10 based on specific leads developed during the investigation. 

Further, officials said technical surveillance, CCTV tracking and interstate intelligence inputs helped investigators trace the accused to border areas before they were apprehended.

Mayank Raj Mishra and Vicky Maurya were picked up from Buxar in Bihar, while Raj Singh was detained from Ballia in Uttar Pradesh. Following interrogation, all three were formally arrested by the Madhyamgram Police Station on Sunday morning.

Police are also examining the routes used by the accused after the murder and whether additional individuals provided shelter or assistance during their escape.

Who Are The 3 Sharpshooters Arrested? 

According to the reports, each of the accused played a different role in the murder conspiracy:

• Mayank Sharma allegedly made toll plaza payments using UPI during the operation. 
• Vicky Singh alias Vicky Maurya is suspected to be one of the shooters involved in the attack. According to reports, Vicky is a known history-sheeter with a long criminal background, and investigators suspect he may have links to the murder conspiracy. 
• Raj Singh is believed to have been involved in planning the murder. 

Police Suspect Contract Killing Angle

As per investigators, the murder was a planned contract killing carried out by professional sharpshooters. 

Officials said the accused are notorious criminals with previous records linked to targeted attacks and violent crimes. The SIT is now trying to establish who allegedly hired the shooters and whether a larger conspiracy was involved behind the murder.

The accused are currently being interrogated extensively regarding their movements before and after the shooting, logistical support, weapons used and possible local contacts in West Bengal.

Chandranath Rath Was Shot Dead 

Chandranath Rath, regarded as one of Suvendu Adhikari’s closest aides, was shot dead near Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas shortly after the West Bengal Assembly election results.

Investigators suspect Rath was followed and intercepted before assailants opened fire at close range in what BJP leaders described as a “cold-blooded and pre-planned” assassination.

Who Was Chandranath Rath?

Born on August 11, 1984, in Chandipur in Purba Medinipur district, Chandranath Rath shared a long association with Suvendu Adhikari that went back to the late 1990s, when both Rath and Adhikari families were linked to the Trinamool Congress.

His mother, Hasi Rath, had served as chief executive of the Panchayat Samiti and later joined the BJP along with Suvendu Adhikari in 2020.

After studying at Ramakrishna Mission, Chandranath joined the Indian Air Force through short service commission. Family members said that he had originally wanted to become a monk before eventually choosing a career with Indian armed forces. 

Following his voluntary retirement from the Air Force, he joined the corporate sector before returning to public life alongside Suvendu Adhikari.

In 2019, when Suvendu became a minister in the West Bengal government, Chandranath officially joined him as an assistant in the Water Resources Department. When Adhikari shifted from the Trinamool Congress to the BJP, Chandranath continued to remain by his side and eventually became one of the most influential figures in his office.

He handled several important organisational responsibilities and was also involved in managing election operations during the 2026 election Bhabanipur campaign. Within BJP circles, Chandranath was widely seen as Suvendu Adhikari’s most trusted aide and constant companion, a man many described as his ‘shadow partner’. 

Sources said multiple bullets struck Rath in the chest, abdomen and head. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead. His driver, Buddhadeb, was also injured in the firing and remains under treatment.

Investigators suspect the murder was meticulously planned. Sources earlier revealed that the vehicle allegedly used by the attackers had been purchased through OLX and carried a fake number plate. Police also suspect Rath was followed by two vehicles before the shooting.

The CID, forensic experts and senior police officials are currently examining CCTV footage, recovered cartridges and seized vehicles connected to the case. One person has reportedly been taken into custody for questioning.

Eyewitness Describes ‘Point-Blank’ Shooting

Calling the murder carefully ‘planned’, an eyewitness told ANI, “Just as Chandra's car crossed mine, it suddenly stopped midway, and a bike-borne person came and started shooting on the left side of the car. The person seemed to be an expert and fled immediately. It appeared to be pre-planned. The shots were fired at point-blank range."

The witness said the incident took place between 10:30 PM and 11 PM, around 200-300 metres from the hospital. He added that locals rushed the victims to the hospital immediately after the firing.

Police believe the attackers had conducted recce before the committing the crime and carefully chosen the location because of multiple escape routes in the area.CCTV footage from nearby electric poles and residential buildings is being examined to trace the suspects’ movements before and after the shooting.

Vehicle With Fake Number Plate Seized, Cartridges Recovered

A car bearing registration number WB 74 AK 2270 is now central to the investigation. Police suspect the number plate had been tampered with.  West Bengal Director General of Police Siddh Nath Gupta said that police had seized a four-wheeler connected to the crime. He also informed that the investigation had already begun and key evidence had been recovered from the crime scene.

“We have initiated an investigation into the case. The vehicle bore a fake number plate, and we have recovered live cartridges. We are advancing the investigation through CCTV footage and technical surveillance,” the DGP said. Police officials are now trying to trace where the attackers began following Chandranath’s vehicle and how they escaped after the firing.

BJP Calls It ‘Planned Political Assassination’

Furious Suvendu Adhikari, who reached the hospital soon after the news of his aide Chandranath being shot, termed the murder a ‘cold-blooded and pre-planned’ killing and alleged there was a political conspiracy behind the attack.

“A recce was done for two to three days and the murder was fully planned. This is the result of 15 years of Maha-Jungle Raj,” Adhikari said.

He added that BJP workers should maintain peace and not take the law into their own hands. "Police will identify the culprits very soon. We will ensure that the culprits would be brought to justice. Once we form the government, action will begin against all the goons,” he said.

TMC Condemns Murder of Suvendu's PA

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) issued a statement shortly after the brutal murder of Chandranath Rath. Condeming the murder, the party demanded “strongest” action in the matter.

In a post on X, TMC said, “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.”

“We demand the strongest possible action in this matter, including a court-monitored CBI investigation so that those responsible are identified and brought to justice without delay. Violence and political killings have no place in a democracy and the guilty must be held accountable at the earliest,” the party added.

Abhishek Banerjee’s 'After May 4' Threat Resurfaces

A week after Trinamool Congress (TMC) General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee issued a sharp warning to BJP workers during a public rally, his remarks have resurfaced online following the killing of West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari’s close aide Chandra near Madhyamgram.

The murder, which BJP leaders have termed a “pre-planned political assassination,” has intensified the political confrontation in West Bengal, with opposition leaders linking the incident to the increasingly aggressive political rhetoric witnessed during the election campaign.

At the centre of the controversy is a viral speech delivered by Abhishek Banerjee, nephew of outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in which he openly warned BJP workers ahead of the election results.

“I spared you last time, this time I take full responsibility. After May 4, I’ll see whose father comes from Delhi to save you,” Abhishek Banerjee had said during the rally.

Another portion of the speech, now widely circulating on social media following the murder, quoted him as saying:

“After May 4, I’ll personally see how much power these executioners have, and whose father comes from Delhi to save you.”

The remarks have now come under renewed scrutiny after unidentified assailants shot dead Chandra, a key member of Suvendu Adhikari’s political team, in what eyewitnesses described as a “point-blank” and “pre-planned” attack near Madhyamgram.

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