Tension escalated in West Bengal after Suvendu Adhikari’s close aide and personal assistant Chandranath Rath was shot dead in Madhyamgram days after the BJP’s major election victory in the state. Bike-borne assailants reportedly opened fire on Rath’s car, killing him on the spot and injuring the driver. Rath was considered a key figure in Suvendu Adhikari’s election management team. BJP leaders have strongly condemned the killing and pointed fingers at the All India Trinamool Congress amid rising allegations of post-poll violence. Meanwhile, the TMC also condemned Rath’s murder along with the killing of three party workers, demanding a court-monitored CBI probe into the incidents. Police teams are examining CCTV footage and questioning locals as investigations continue.