LUCKNOW: Once projecting himself on social media as a “social worker” and self-styled Kshatriya leader, Ballia resident Raj Singh now finds himself at the centre of one of India’s most sensational political murder investigations — the chilling ambush-style killing of Chandranath Rath, a close aide of West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari.Police probing the meticulously planned attack suspect Raj Singh to be one of the sharpshooters behind the shooting that unfolded with near-military precision on a busy road in Madhyamgram, where gunmen allegedly opened fire at a Scorpio SUV ferrying Chandranath Rath within seconds before disappearing from the scene within seconds.As Bengal Police teams tracked digital footprints, interstate links and alleged getaway routes stretching from Kolkata to Uttar Pradesh, Raj Singh was arrested along with two others and his social media profile came under intense scrutiny — from his political connections and past run-ins with police to fiery speeches, posts and claims of ideological mobilisation.Mother of ‘sharpshooter’ Raj Singh rejects police theory in Suvendu Adhikari aide’s murder probeHis family, however, insists he was hundreds of kilometres away, attending weddings and religious visits in Uttar Pradesh when the bullets were fired in Bengal.Who is Raj Singh?Raj Singh, who describes himself as a social worker on social media, is a resident of Anand Nagar near the police lines in Ballia city.On his Facebook profile, he identifies himself as the “state general secretary” of the All India Kshatriya Mahasabha. He has also shared posts linked to “Mission 2026” and photographs with a state minister on Instagram.Police sources said Raj Singh had earlier contested the councillor election from Ward No. 15 in Ballia and allegedly enjoyed political patronage.His name had also surfaced in a previous firing incident involving an egg vendor in Ballia’s Sadar Kotwali area.Raj Singh’s mother, Jamwanti Singh, has alleged that the Special Operations Group (SOG) unlawfully detained her son.Speaking to journalists at Ballia district court on Monday, she claimed the family had travelled to Lucknow on April 7 to attend the wedding of an MLC’s daughter before visiting Kichhauchha Sharif in Ambedkar Nagar and later Ayodhya for darshan at the Ram Lalla temple.She alleged that while returning from Ayodhya, their vehicle was intercepted near a roadside dhaba and all occupants, including women and children, were detained overnight.“The next morning I was briefly allowed to meet Raj before Bengal Police took him away on a flight,” she claimed.Raj Singh’s lawyer, Harivant Singh, also alleged illegal detention and claimed proper transit remand procedures were initially not followed.Addressing reporters at Ballia district court, the lawyer said CCTV footage showed Raj Singh at his home on April 4, 5 and 6, and maintained that his client had no connection with the Kolkata murder case.
