“Suddenly, Chandra’s speech began to slur… it sounded like two or three voices speaking at once. I kept asking, ‘Chandra, are you feeling unwell?’ But then there was no response.”
This chilling account by Siliguri BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh captures the final moments before Chandranath Rath—Executive Assistant to Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari—was shot dead in a late-night attack on Wednesday in Madhyamgram, North 24 Parganas.
Ghosh said he had called Rath shortly after 10:00 pm to discuss preparations for upcoming events, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Kolkata and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled attendance at a swearing-in ceremony on Saturday.
After the call abruptly ended, Ghosh tried dialing Rath again. “The phone rang for a long time. Then someone picked up and said, ‘Sir has been shot.’ I asked if he was conscious, but he said he couldn’t tell,” Ghosh recounted.
Ghosh immediately attempted to contact Adhikari, who was travelling toward Kanthi and had already crossed Kolaghat, 75 km from Kolkata. Unable to reach him at first, Ghosh sent a message. Adhikari soon called back, reportedly stunned by the news, and instructed Ghosh to rush to Madhyamgram while he made his way back toward Kolkata.
By 2:00 am, the waiting lounge of Viva City Hospital, where Rath was declared dead on arrival, was filled with BJP MLAs and party workers. Outside, large crowds gathered as police and paramilitary forces cordoned off the area.
Ghosh, seated inside the hospital, appeared visibly exhausted and shaken, struggling to process the events.
According to preliminary information, Rath was returning to his residence in Madhyamgram in an official Assembly vehicle when the attack took place. Miscreants allegedly blocked the car before a gunman on motorcycles opened fire.
Rath sustained multiple bullet injuries to his chest. The driver was also hit but managed to drive the vehicle to the hospital. An associate seated in the rear survived by ducking during the attack. Doctors later recovered bullets from Rath’s body, with early indications suggesting the use of a 9mm firearm.
Senior police officials, including Director General of Police Siddhinath Gupta, reached the hospital soon after the incident. Initial findings suggest the attack was carefully planned.
“This appears to be a premeditated operation. The attackers had prior knowledge of his route and the vehicle,” a senior officer indicated.
Several BJP leaders, including Rudranil Ghosh, Swapan Dasgupta, and Union Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar, were present at the hospital.
Adhikari, visibly shaken, instructed police to act swiftly. “Ensure that not a single one of them gets away. They must be apprehended as quickly as possible,” he told officers.
Despite mounting anger among party members, Adhikari urged restraint, stating, “The police will conduct the investigation. No one will be spared.” The killing has raised serious questions about motive, with speculation over whether the attack was intended as a direct warning to senior BJP leadership.
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