Fake Number Plate Used in Suvendu Aide’s Murder, Says Bengal DGP

Kolkata, May 2026 : West Bengal Director General of Police (DGP) Siddh Nath Gupta on Thursday confirmed that the motorcycle used in the assassination of Chandranath Rath, personal assistant to outgoing Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, carried a fake number plate, indicating a carefully planned operation by the attackers.

Rath was shot dead late on Wednesday night near the Doharia crossing in Madhyamgram, located in North 24 Parganas district, while returning home from a party programme. Another BJP worker, Buddhadeb Bera, who was travelling with him, sustained serious bullet injuries and remains under treatment in critical condition.

The DGP reached Viva City Hospital in Madhyamgram around 1.30 a.m. on Thursday after Rath was declared dead on arrival.

“The motorcycle used in the assassination was bearing a fake number plate. We have recovered shells of used cartridges as well as some live cartridges from the crime spot. A detailed investigation is currently underway, and at this stage, I cannot disclose more details,” Gupta told reporters outside the hospital.

According to police sources, initial eyewitness accounts suggested that Rath’s vehicle had been followed by a suspicious four-wheeler for a considerable distance before the attack. Investigators believed that the pursuing vehicle overtook Rath’s car near the busy Doharia crossing, blocked its movement, and allowed armed assailants to open fire.

However, further investigation reportedly revealed a more coordinated execution of the crime. Police sources now believe that Rath’s vehicle was being discreetly shadowed by a motorcycle carrying the gunmen, while a separate four-wheeler was used to intercept and stop the target vehicle at the right moment.

Once Rath’s vehicle was blocked, the motorcycle rider allegedly opened fire with precision, indicating the involvement of trained and professional shooters.

Senior police officials investigating the case said the method and timing of the attack strongly suggest that the murder was pre-planned and executed after careful surveillance.

Meanwhile, the killing has triggered sharp political reactions in the state.

West Bengal BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya alleged that the assassination was politically motivated and accused the Trinamool Congress of creating an atmosphere of violence after the Assembly election results.

“I had repeatedly warned that the period between the declaration of results and the formation of the new government was highly sensitive and that law and order should have been strictly monitored by the Election Commission,” Bhattacharya said.

He further alleged that Trinamool Congress-backed miscreants were already involved in disturbances across several parts of the state and claimed that Rath’s murder was intended to intimidate BJP leaders and workers.

“And now they have murdered the personal assistant of the outgoing Leader of the Opposition to send a message. I am not surprised because this is the political culture of the Trinamool Congress,” Bhattacharya alleged.

Police have intensified their investigation by examining CCTV footage from nearby areas, collecting forensic evidence, and questioning witnesses in an effort to identify and trace the attackers involved in the murder.