'Car Bought From OLX, Fake Number Plate Used’: What We Know So Far About Suvendu Adhikari Aide’s Murder

New Delhi: The investigation into the murder of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari’s close aide Chandranath Rath has revealed chilling details suggesting that the attack was carefully planned well in advance. According to reports, the four-wheeler allegedly used by the killers had been purchased through OLX and was fitted with a fake and tampered number plate to avoid identification. 

Further, Rath was reportedly being tracked for days before he was intercepted and shot dead near Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas, barely 48 hours after BJP’s historic victory in the Bengal Assembly elections.

Chandranath Rath, an ex-serviceman and one of Adhikari’s closest associates, was reportedly followed by multiple vehicles before assailants opened fire at point-blank range. BJP leaders have termed the killing a “pre-planned political assassination”, while the CID and forensic teams continue examining CCTV footage, seized vehicles, cartridges and other evidence connected to the case.

What We Know So Far: 

• The four-wheeler used in the crime has been seized by police.
• Car used in the murder was reportedly purchased through OLX.
• Number plate on the vehicle was allegedly fake and tampered with.
• An Austria-made pistol was reportedly used in the killing.
• Chandranath Rath was allegedly followed by two vehicles before the attack.
• A four-wheeler reportedly overtook Rath’s car and forced it to stop.
• Two bike-borne attackers allegedly opened fire from close range.
• Six rounds were reportedly fired during the attack.
• Sources say six bullets hit Rath in the chest, abdomen and head.
• Investigators suspect the murder was planned after days of reconnaissance.
• BJP leaders claim Rath was targeted when he was alone.
• The shooting took place at a T-point barely 60 metres from Rath’s residence
• Investigators believe the location was chosen to ensure a quick escape route for the attackers
• CID officials have examined CCTV footage and collected forensic evidence from the crime scene
• Live rounds and fired cartridges have already been recovered by police
• One person has reportedly been taken into custody in connection with the murder.

Eyewitness Calls Attack ‘Professional and Pre-Planned’

An eyewitness claimed the attackers appeared highly trained and fled immediately after firing. According to the witness, Rath’s car was suddenly forced to stop before a bike-borne assailant opened fire from the left side of the vehicle.

“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 eyewitness told ANI.

The murder has triggered massive political outrage in West Bengal. BJP leaders, including Suvendu Adhikari and Swapan Dasgupta, have alleged that the killing was a “targeted political assassination” linked to post-poll violence in the state.

Suvendu Adhikari claimed a “recce” had been conducted for several days before the attack. “This is a pre-planned murder. A recce was done for two to three days, and the murder was fully planned,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress condemned the killing and demanded a court-monitored CBI investigation into the matter.

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’. 

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.

ALSO READ: Abhishek Banerjee’s 'After May 4' Threat Resurfaces After Killing of Suvendu Adhikari’s Aide; CID Reaches Spot