West Bengal witnessed a fresh outbreak of post-poll violence on May 6 night after Chandranath Rath, a close aide of senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, was shot dead in North 24 Parganas district in what the saffron party described as a “targeted political assassination”.

The killing, which occurred less than 48 hours after the declaration of the fiercely contested Assembly election results, triggered sharp political reactions, protests and renewed allegations of retaliatory violence between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the ruling All India Trinamool Congress.

According to preliminary police findings, Rath was attacked near Doharia between Doltala and Madhyamgram at around 10.30 pm while returning home. Investigators said motorcycle-borne assailants intercepted his SUV, forced it to stop and opened fire from close range before fleeing the scene.

Eyewitnesses claimed a small four-wheeler initially blocked Rath’s vehicle near the junction, after which one of the attackers approached the SUV and fired multiple rounds. The occupants of the vehicle later abandoned it and escaped on motorcycles.

Rath, who served as the executive assistant to the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, was declared dead on arrival at the hospital. Doctors said he suffered multiple bullet injuries to the chest and abdomen. His driver, identified as Buddhadeb Bera, also sustained gunshot injuries and remains under treatment at a Kolkata hospital in critical condition.

Television visuals from the scene showed the SUV’s windshield shattered by bullets, blood-stained seats and a heavy police deployment around the area amid mounting tension.

Reacting strongly to the incident, Adhikari termed the attack a “cold-blooded murder” and alleged that the assailants had carried out prior reconnaissance before executing the shooting.

“This is a cold-blooded murder. The manner in which the attack was carried out clearly indicates prior planning,” Adhikari said after reaching the hospital around midnight. He added that the state Director General of Police had assured a thorough investigation into the incident.

While refraining from directly naming any organisation behind the attack, Adhikari alleged that violence against BJP workers had intensified after the election results. He claimed that another BJP worker was shot in Basirhat while one more was stabbed in Baranagar on the same night.

The BJP leader also said he had spoken with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and senior party leadership regarding the killing. Describing the prevailing law-and-order situation as “Mahajungle Raj”, Adhikari accused the ruling dispensation of fostering political violence over the last 15 years.

West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya termed the murder evidence of the “criminalisation of politics” in the state, while BJP MLA-elect Kaustav Bagchi alleged that the attackers had followed Rath’s vehicle for a considerable distance before opening fire.

As news of the killing spread, hundreds of BJP supporters gathered outside the hospital, raising slogans against the TMC and demanding immediate arrests. A large police contingent was deployed around the hospital premises and along Jessore Road to prevent escalation.

The TMC condemned the killing and demanded a court-monitored CBI inquiry into the incident. In a statement, the party alleged that three of its workers had also been killed in separate incidents of post-poll violence allegedly involving “BJP-backed miscreants” over the past three days.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Police launched a multi-pronged investigation into the attack. Director General of Police Siddhinath Gupta said investigators recovered empty cartridges and live ammunition from the crime scene and seized the small vehicle allegedly used to block Rath’s SUV.

“The registration number appears to belong to the Siliguri RTO, but preliminary examination suggests the number plate may have been tampered with,” Gupta told reporters.

Police sources said forensic experts are examining CCTV footage from the surrounding areas to reconstruct the sequence of events. Multiple teams have been formed to trace the attackers, who reportedly used motorcycles without number plates and wore helmets to avoid identification.

Investigators are also probing whether professional contract killers were involved. Preliminary forensic inputs suggest sophisticated firearms, possibly Glock 47X pistols, may have been used during the attack.

“A weapon of this nature is generally not used by ordinary criminals. We are examining all angles, including the involvement of professional shooters,” a senior police officer said.

The killing has once again brought the spotlight on Bengal’s volatile political climate, with both the BJP and TMC accusing each other of orchestrating violence in the aftermath of one of the state’s most bitterly fought elections in recent years.