The investigation into the murder of Chandranath Rath, personal assistant to Suvendu Adhikari, has expanded into Uttar Pradesh, with a Bengal Special Investigation Team (SIT) from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) pursuing technical leads in Badaun and Sambhal.
Technical Leads Point to UP
The team arrived in Badaun late Friday night after mobile call detail records and location data indicated suspects in the Gunnaur area, which is now part of Sambhal district. Officers met with Badaun Superintendent of Police Ankita Sharma, shared technical inputs and suspected mobile numbers, then proceeded to Sambhal to continue raids and verification.
Uttar Pradesh Police is assisting with route coordination, local intelligence, and identity verification. Two youths were questioned based on suspicious numbers, though their identities have not been disclosed. A separate SIT team is coordinating with Odisha Police.
Professional Shooters Suspected
Investigators believe professional shooters were involved in the killing, with the conspiracy likely directed from outside West Bengal. This assessment has sharpened the focus on contacts in Uttar Pradesh. Police now believe seven to eight people participated in the murder, including two sharpshooters and a "tipper" who allegedly tracked Rath's real-time location from a separate vehicle, enabling the attackers to execute the killing in under a minute.
Rath was shot dead near his residence in the Dohariya area of Madhyamgram on Wednesday night. Buddhadeb Bera, who was driving the car Rath was traveling in, remains in the intensive care unit. The SIT comprises senior officers from the CID, Intelligence Bureau, Bengal Special Task Force, and Barasat district police.
Death Threats Before Murder
Kaushik Das, a close relative of Rath, alleged that the victim had received death threats on WhatsApp and Facebook four to five days after the elections and had informed the Intelligence Bureau, the Deputy Inspector General of Police, and the district police superintendent. "He could not trace the numbers. This angle should also be investigated," Das said. He added that he had met Rath at a Bharatiya Janata Party meeting in Chandipur, East Midnapore, on the afternoon of the murder.
