MADHYAMGRAM, WEST BENGAL – In a significant development in a case that has rattled West Bengal’s political landscape, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has apprehended three suspects in connection with the brutal murder of Chandranath Rath, a high-profile aide to BJP leader and West Bengal’s Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari.

The arrests, executed through coordinated raids across state lines in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, mark the first major breakthrough in an investigation involving professional sharpshooters and sophisticated weaponry.

The West Bengal Special Task Force (STF) and the SIT tracked digital footprints and technical surveillance leads to locate the suspects who had fled the state immediately after the May 6th assassination.

The investigation into the assassination of Chandranath Rath led to the arrest of three individuals identified as notorious sharpshooters: Raj Singh, Mayank Raj Mishra, and Vicky Maurya, while a fourth man, Vishal Srivastava, was detained for questioning. These suspects were apprehended through coordinated raids across Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, and Buxar, Bihar. A key focus of the inquiry remains the murder weapon, an Austrian-made Glock 47X pistol, a high-grade firearm that has raised significant security concerns regarding its entry into the state.

The murder took place on the night of May 6, 2026, in Madhyamgram’s Doharia area, North 24 Parganas. Rath, a 41-year-old former Indian Air Force officer known as "Mr. Dependable" within the BJP, was intercepted just 200 metres from his home.

"The attackers carried out a detailed reconnaissance. They knew his movements and exactly where he was seated in the vehicle," a senior CID official stated.

A silver Nissan Micra reportedly blocked Rath’s SUV, allowing bike-borne assailants to open fire at point-blank range. Rath was hit by multiple bullets in the chest and succumbed to his injuries almost instantly.

The killing occurred against the backdrop of intense post-election volatility following the 2026 West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections, in which Suvendu Adhikari secured a high-profile victory.

While the SIT has secured these initial arrests, the focus of the investigation has now shifted to the conspiracy's mastermind. Police believe at least eight people were involved in the plot. Interrogations are currently underway to determine who hired the sharpshooters and whether the motive was purely political or linked to Rath's strategic role in Adhikari’s campaigns.

The suspects are being brought to Kolkata on transit remand for further questioning.