Madhyamgram is located in North 24 Paragans district, which is bordering Bangladesh.
The incident took place at Doharia in Madhyamgram area, a few hundred metres away from PA Chandranath Rath’s residence. He was shot dead by a bike-borne assailant in North 24 Parganas district’s Madhyamgram from point blank range, two days after the party’s historic win in the assembly election.
Driver of the vehicle has been seriously injured with bullet injuries and he has been shifted to Kolkata’s private hospital. There was another person in the vehicle also. In addition, another vehicle was coming to Madhyamgram, following Rath’s vehicle, also belonging to the BJP.
The driver of the second vehicle, following Rath’s, told mediapersons, “The two vehicles were coming together. Chandra’s vehicle was in full speed when it entered Doharia and I was several metres away. I saw a motorbike passing my car and then saw him firing bullets. I did not have strength to look at the incident after two rounds were fired.”
CID on Thursday morning, took over the probe, the long-time personal assistant of Adhikari, who was with Adhikari from Trinamool days, before he had joined BJP.
A four-wheeler has been seized with a fake number plate, which was seized from the spot, Bengal DGP Siddh Nath Gupta had confirmed last night. The vehicle had blocked the path of Rath’s vehicle and bullets were fired from point blank range.DGP Siddh Nath Gupta has said that the number plates of the four-wheeler blocking Rath’s vehicle and the motorcycle were tampered with Siliguri number plate.
The incident happened at around 10.15 to 10.30 PM, when Rath was returning home after day’s work with Adhikari.
The incident happened when Rath was on his way back home after work with Adhikari during the day. As Rath’s vehicle stopped after getting blocked by that four-wheeler in a narrow road in Doharia, the motorcycle-bound assailant, wearing a helmet, stopped beside the vehicle and fired indiscriminately from close range.
Driver Buddhadeb Bera, gravely injured and profusely bleeding.
After reaching Barasat Medical Hospital, where a post-mortem is being conducted, Adhikari said, “It is a cold-blooded murder and reiki was done before the murder. I spoke to the DGP and CID and Forensic team and the investigation is being done. Some people have been detained. Our police can do it but they are not allowed to work. The truth will come to the front,”
The DGP has also confirmed that some used cartridges and some bullets have been recovered from the spot. However, he refused to divulge further details for the sake of the investigation.
BJP State President Samik Bhattacharya also visited Barasat Medical College today.
“The way murder has been done, I think there is some big hand behind it. The timing of the incident, just ahead of the swearing-in ceremony where many high profile public figures, including Prime Minister, Union Home Minister, and chief ministers of 20 states will be coming to Bengal for the oath taking ceremony on May 9,” BJP State President Samik Bhattacharya said.
“There is an attempt to disrupt the law and order. As it is there is no law and order in the state. This is cold-blooded political murder. I spoke to SP last night and they are investigating. The way the incident happened, this is no common murderer’s work. The weapons which have been used, there are some big hands. The Chief Minister has put questions on the Constitution and now this incident happens,” Bhattacharya said.
“We have given a message to our party workers to stay calm as we have come with This sad incident and he has no political connection. He was a former Air Force serviceman and son of a BJP leader,” Bhattacharya said.
Pall of gloom in Chandipur
Gloom prevails in Chandipur in East Medinipur at Rath’s residence, where elderly mother of Rath, was inconsolable.
“My son is a victim of political revenge. I want life imprisonment for the culprits. He was Rath’srectly connected with politics,” Rath’s mother said.
