The Special Investigation Team (SIT) looking into the murder of Chandranath Rath, the longtime aide of outgoing Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, found the motorcycle used in the crime. The real owners of the motorcycle and the four-wheeler involved in the incident remain unidentified, causing confusion among investigators. Rath was attacked while returning home after a BJP event, with a motorcycle tailing his vehicle and a four-wheeler blocking his path at a crossing in North 24 Parganas district.
Preliminary findings indicate that as Rath’s vehicle was stopped by the four-wheeler, the motorcycle rider, wearing a helmet, fired at close range, killing Rath instantly. Rath’s driver, Buddhadeb Bera, sustained severe injuries in the attack. The motorcycle was discovered abandoned nearly four kilometers away from the crime scene the day after the incident, while the four-wheeler was traced shortly after the murder. The motorcycle was registered in the name of Bivas Bhattacharya, but investigations revealed that no such person resided at the listed address in Burnpur.
Further scrutiny revealed that the registration number on the blocking four-wheeler belonged to a vehicle owned by William Joseph, a tea garden manager in Darjeeling district. The Director General of Police confirmed that the number plates on both vehicles were counterfeit. The police suspect meticulous planning behind the assassination, suggesting that Rath had been under surveillance for some time. The professional execution of the attack, with the assailant firing multiple rounds and fleeing swiftly, indicates the involvement of a skilled sharpshooter.
