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West Bengal news highlights: Bengal governor dissolves assembly, Mamata no longer chief minister
Chandranath Rath murder news highlights: Earlier in the day, police reportedly recovered the bike allegedly used by the assailants who shot Rath dead. The bike was brought to the Madhyamgram police station in North 24 Parganas.
- 8:00 PM IST, May 7Blog closed
- 7:39 PM IST, May 7Bengal governor dissolves assembly
- 6:14 PM IST, May 7What medical superintendent of Barasat govt hospital said about autopsy
- 4:44 PM IST, May 7Bike used by assailants in Suvendu's aide's murder recovered
- 4:16 PM IST, May 7‘Chandranath Rath was killed because he was my aide and I defeated Mamata,’ says Suvendu Adhikari
- 3:57 PM IST, May 7TMC rattled after defeat, violence has no place in democracy, says Shivraj Singh
- 3:41 PM IST, May 7‘They can never see a woman rising’: Akhilesh hits out at BJP
- 3:15 PM IST, May 7Mortal remains of Suvendu's aide brought to his residence
- 3:09 PM IST, May 7Bengal's people voted against this politics of violence: Chirag Paswan
- 2:56 PM IST, May 7Chandranath Rath's driver undergoes multiple surgeries, still critical
- 2:39 PM IST, May 7‘Absolutely not a political matter’: TMC leader on Rath's death
- 2:18 PM IST, May 7TMC has created 'mafia culture' in Bengal, BJP says after Adhikari aide's killing
- 2:03 PM IST, May 7Suvendu Adhikari appeals BJP workers to not resort to political violence
- 2:00 PM IST, May 7'Is this the kind of change BJP is bringing?' - AAP MP on Chandranath's murer
- 1:47 PM IST, May 7No Model Code of Conduct in force now, says election commission
- 1:36 PM IST, May 7Details emerge about car used by murderers
- 1:27 PM IST, May 7Eye witness describes horror of Chandranath's murder
- 1:18 PM IST, May 7Victim was killed in execution-style murder
- 1:14 PM IST, May 7Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan blames TMC for Chandranath's murder
- 1:11 PM IST, May 7Chandranath not Suvendu Adhikari's 1st PA to die unnaturally
- 12:55 PM IST, May 7‘Used to call him Chandru with love’ - BJP leader remembers Chandranath
- 12:40 PM IST, May 7‘I cooked for him yesterday, he said he was busy with oath ceremony,’ says victim's mother
- 12:37 PM IST, May 7West Bengal CID begins probe
- 12:22 PM IST, May 7Police detaiks 3 people in connection with murder
- 12:02 PM IST, May 7‘Extremely unfortunate,’ says RJD MP Manoj Jha on Chandranath's murder
- 11:48 AM IST, May 7‘Had spoken to him at 2 pm yesterday,’ says victim's brother
- 11:33 AM IST, May 7Bengal BJP chief refuses to give ‘political reaction’
- 11:18 AM IST, May 7BJP workers protest, block highway
- 11:09 AM IST, May 7Shehzad Poonawala says ‘political violence is in TMC’s DNA'
- 10:55 AM IST, May 7‘There should be no place for violence,’ says TMC leader
- 10:48 AM IST, May 7Ghosh says anti-social elements must be sent to jail
- 10:35 AM IST, May 7BJP leader makes massive claim, links Abhishek Banerjee to PA's killing
- 10:15 AM IST, May 7How was Chandra's and Suvendu's relationship?
- 10:05 AM IST, May 7Ex-IAF employee to Suvendu Adhikari's ‘Mr dependable’ PA, who was Chandranath Rath?
- 9:51 AM IST, May 7Visuals from Chandranath's home
- 9:48 AM IST, May 7Rath's mother blames TMC for son's murder
- 9:39 AM IST, May 7Chandranath Rath's driver admitted to Apollo hospital
- 9:37 AM IST, May 7Amit Shah to visit Bengal tomorrow
- 9:35 AM IST, May 7Tension grips parts of North 24 Parganas after murder of Suvendu's aide
- 9:34 AM IST, May 7Chandranath Rath was associated with Suvendu Adhikari for 5 years
- 9:29 AM IST, May 7Tension grips Bengal after election results
- 9:21 AM IST, May 7‘Chandranath Rath was a dear friend,’ says BJP leader
- 9:06 AM IST, May 7Amit Shah informed of all developments
- 8:56 AM IST, May 7There were three people in the car during attack, say sources
- 8:50 AM IST, May 7Agnimitra Paul calls Rath ‘Mr Dependable’
- 8:46 AM IST, May 7Security beefed up outside hospital where Rath was brought
- 8:36 AM IST, May 7Heavy security at crime scene
- 8:14 AM IST, May 7Victim lived not far from where he was murdered
- 8:08 AM IST, May 7What Bengal BJP chief said on the murder
- 8:00 AM IST, May 7How the attack on Chandranath Rath unfolded
- 7:58 AM IST, May 7Driver with Chandranath Rath identified as Buddhadeb Bera
- 7:57 AM IST, May 7Driver with Rath also injured during attack
- 7:53 AM IST, May 7Vehicle in which Rath was travelling is under forensic probe
- 7:41 AM IST, May 7BJP leader says Chandranath 'didn't have any enemies'
- 7:34 AM IST, May 7Suvendu Adhikari talked to Amit Shah regarding the incident
- 7:28 AM IST, May 7‘Shots were perfectly aimed,’ says police
- 7:23 AM IST, May 7‘Political angle behind murder can’t be ruled out,' says BJP spokesperson
- 7:15 AM IST, May 7BJP leader calls Rath's murder ‘targeted killing’
- 7:11 AM IST, May 7Rath played key role in Adhikari’s election management
- 7:06 AM IST, May 7Victim was Suvendu Adhikari's PA for last 5 years
- 7:01 AM IST, May 7Trinamool demands ‘strongest possible action’
- 6:57 AM IST, May 7Murder happened at 3 km from Kolkata airport
- 6:53 AM IST, May 7Trinamool condemns Rath's murder and mentions killing of 3 of its party workers
- 6:44 AM IST, May 7Eyewitness says murderer seemed to be ‘an expert, fled immediately’
- 6:42 AM IST, May 7Suvendu Adhikari says his PA's murder was ‘pre planned’
West Bengal news highlights: As the body of West Bengal heavyweight leader Suvendu Adhikari's personal assistant, Chandranath Rath, was brought to his hometown in Purba Medinipur district on Thursday, the BJP leader said that his PA was probably killed for being his close aide. He further alleged that Rath's murder was premeditated....Read More
"He was killed because he was my aide, and I defeated Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur," Adhikari told reporters. He further said, "His only fault was Suvendu Adhikari's personal assistant. Five bullets were fired at him to ensure his death."
Suvendu's PA murder
Chandranath Rath was shot dead by unidentified assailants at Madhyamgram of West Bengal's North 24 Parganas late on Wednesday.
He suffered bullet injuries to the head, chest, and abdomen, following which he was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead.
Police probe into Chandranath Rath's murder
Earlier in the day, police reportedly recovered the bike allegedly used by the assailants who shot Rath dead. The bike was brought to the Madhyamgram police station in North 24 Parganas, news agency ANI reported.
The police has detained three people for questioning in relation to Chandranath Rath's murder.
Visuals from the spot of the incident showed the glass of the car in which Rath was travelling broken due to bullet holes. The car carried a ‘West Bengal Legislative Assembly On Duty’ symbol and was covered in blood after the murder.
Also read: Suvendu Adhikari shares key details in PA's ‘cold-blooded murder’, speaks to Amit Shah
Suvendu Adhikari's PA murdered | Key points
-After Chandranath's death, Adhikari said that his murder was pre-planned and that is what the DGP also thinks. He added that a recce was done for a couple of days before the murder.
-Adhikari said that union minister Sukanta Majumdar talked to the family of Chandranath Rath and that the police have found some evidence and started probe.
-The BJP leader also claimed that the murder was a result of Trinamool Congress' 15-year rule of “maha jungle raj” and added that his party will start “cleansing” such goons soon.
-After Rath's murder, TMC condemned the killing, “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.”
-TMC called for court-monitored CBI investigation into the incidents and called for “strongest possible action”.
West Bengal news LIVE: Driver with Chandranath Rath identified as Buddhadeb Bera
West Bengal news LIVE: The driver who was with Chandranath Rath during the attack and sustained injuries was identified as Buddhadeb Bera and was admitted to Kolkata's Apollo Hospital.
West Bengal news LIVE: Driver with Rath also injured during attack
West Bengal news LIVE: The driver who was with Chandranath Rath in the vehicle during the attack was also injured and shifted to a hospital in Kolkata. Police talked to him when he was first brought to the Madhyamgram hospital where Rath died.
West Bengal news LIVE: Vehicle in which Rath was travelling is under forensic probe
West Bengal news LIVE: Forensic team investigates the vehicle in which BJP Leader Suvendu Adhikari's PA Chandra was shot dead near Madhyamgram.
West Bengal news LIVE: BJP leader says Chandranath 'didn't have any enemies'
West Bengal news LIVE: BJP's elected MLA from Baranagar Sajal Ghosh reacting to the death of Suvendu Adhikari's personal assistant, said, "Chandranath was very jovial, didn't have any enemies."
West Bengal news LIVE: Suvendu Adhikari talked to Amit Shah regarding the incident
West Bengal news LIVE: After Rath's killing, Suvendu Adhikari alleged that violence targeting BJP workers continued across different parts of the state following the election results.
“While we were here, one of our cadre was shot at in Basirhat, and another was stabbed in Baranagar area,” he said.
The BJP leader also confirmed that he had spoken to home minister Amit Shah and the party's national president Nitin Nabin regarding the incident.
West Bengal news LIVE: ‘Shots were perfectly aimed,’ says police
West Bengal news LIVE: "The murder seems to have been committed by professionals. Chandranath Rath, who was sitting beside the driver, was the sole target. The shots were perfectly aimed. Not a single hit the SUV's body or front windshield. A couple of bullets hit the driver as he was close to the target. The rest hit Rath's vital organs" a police officer told Hindustan Times requesting anonymity.
West Bengal news LIVE: ‘Political angle behind murder can’t be ruled out,' says BJP spokesperson
West Bengal news LIVE: On the killing of Suvendu Adhikari's aide, BJP spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo said that a political angle behind the murder could not be ruled out.
"A shocking incident has emerged from West Bengal at midnight. Senior BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari's PA, Chandranath Rath, was brutally shot dead by attackers. He was an active BJP worker in the Bhabanipur constituency and played an important role during the election campaign. A political angle behind the murder cannot be ruled out, and the police must investigate the matter from every angle and arrest the accused at the earliest. Violence has no place in a democracy, and the targeting of BJP workers and leaders in West Bengal must stop immediately," Deo told news agency PTI.
West Bengal news LIVE: BJP leader calls Rath's murder ‘targeted killing’
West Bengal news LIVE: BJP MLA-elect Swapan Dasgupta called killing of Suvendu Adhikari's personal assistant Chandranath Rath a “targeted killing” to test their patience.
West Bengal news LIVE: Rath played key role in Adhikari’s election management
West Bengal news LIVE: Suvendu Adhikari's PA Chandranath Rath, who was murdered on Wednesday night, played a key role in Adhikari's election management in both Nandigram and Bhabanipur, both of which he won.
West Bengal news LIVE: Victim was Suvendu Adhikari's PA for last 5 years
West Bengal news LIVE: The victim, Chandranath rath, was BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari's personal assistant for the last five years.
West Bengal news LIVE: Trinamool demands ‘strongest possible action’
West Bengal news LIVE: Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress reacted to Rath's killing and called for “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,” it added.
West Bengal news LIVE: Murder happened at 3 km from Kolkata airport
West Bengal news LIVE: The murder happened at at Madhyamgram on Wednesday night, some 3 km from the Kolkata airport.
West Bengal news LIVE: Trinamool condemns Rath's murder and mentions killing of 3 of its party workers
West Bengal news LIVE: After Chandranath Rath's murder, Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress condemned his killing but also mentioned alleged murder of three TMC workers by "BJP-backed miscreants" in post-poll violence in Bengal.
“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,” TMC wrote in a post on X.
West Bengal news LIVE: Eyewitness says murderer seemed to be ‘an expert, fled immediately’
West Bengal news LIVE: According to an eye witness, a bike-borne person came next to Chandra's car and started shooting on the left side of the vehicle amid fled immediately after the murder.
“Just as Chandra's car crossed mine, it suddenly stopped mid-way and a bike-borne person came and started shooting on the left side of the car... The person seemed to be an expert... He fled immediately... It seemed that this was pre-planned... The shots were fired at point-blank range... I heard the sound of 2 rounds... This incident occurred between 10.30 PM and 11 PM... The incident occurred 200-300 metres from the hospital... The public brought the victim to the hospital and the driver of the car was also shot...” the eyewitness told news agency ANI.
West Bengal news LIVE: Suvendu Adhikari says his PA's murder was ‘pre planned’
West Bengal news LIVE: BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said that his PA Chandra's murder in Madhyamgram was “pre-planned” and that this is what the DGP said.
"A recce was done for 2-3 days and a murdered was fully planned. The police initiated investigation... We are grieving and are at lack of words for condemning this incident. Our entire leadership from Delhi has taken information about this. Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar talked to the family (of the deceased) and the police... Various leaders and chosen MLAs have come here from their regions... The police have found some evidence and they will investigate..." Adhikari said.
