Hasirani Rath, the mother of Chandranath Rath, the personal assistant of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari, on Wednesday demanded life imprisonment for those responsible for her son's murder. Speaking to reporters, she alleged that the attack occurred because the BJP had come to power in West Bengal.
"I want the guilty to be punished. I am a mother, I do not want them to be hanged. I want life imprisonment for them," she said.
Chandranath Rath, who served as Adhikari's personal assistant and close aide, was shot dead near Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas on Wednesday night. According to police, unidentified assailants opened fire at close range while he was traveling in his vehicle. He was later declared dead at a nearby hospital.
"They did this because the BJP came to power. Our state president and leaders are repeatedly saying to maintain law and order in the state. But those from the ruling party who were making various provocative comments, who were saying that after the 4th, the fathers of Delhi will not be able to save us, so after the 4th, they showed it," Hasirani Rath further alleged.
Suvendu Adhikari described the killing as a "pre-planned murder" and claimed his aide had been under surveillance for several days before the attack. "We are grieving and are at a loss for words to condemn this incident. Our entire leadership from Delhi has taken information about this. Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar talked to the family and the police. Various leaders and elected MLAs have come here from their regions. The police have found some evidence, and they will investigate. This is the result of 15 years of Maha-Jungle Raj. BJP will start the cleansing work of the goons here," Adhikari added.
The BJP leaders alleged political targeting and blamed the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) for deteriorating law and order in the state. The TMC condemned the killing of Rath and demanded a court-monitored Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the incident.
Police and forensic experts visited the crime scene and recovered evidence, including cartridges and closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage, as part of the investigation. Security has also been tightened in parts of North 24 Parganas following the murder.
Rath, a former Indian Air Force personnel, was regarded as one of Adhikari's most trusted associates and had been working closely with him for years in political and organizational matters.
