Killers of Suvendu’s aide still at large; post-poll violence continues in Bengal

Security personnel and people gather as mortal remains of Chandranath Rath, PA of Suvendu Adhikari, are being taken away after the post-mortem examination from Barasat Medical College, in Kolkata. | Police recovered a second motorbike used by the killers to escape. Another bike and a car, both with fake registration plates, have already been seized.Police suspect that local criminals may have provided information to the killers who shot dead Rath from point-blank range in North 24 Parganas’ Madhyamgram while he was in a moving car. Rath was shot three times and was declared dead at a nearby hospital. While forensics collected samples from the crime scene, it did not find any fingerprints in the car used by the assassins, sources said. However, police have recovered CCTV footage from the place.Sources said one unit of the Special Investigation Team has gone to Uttar Pradesh to trace connections of the killers. ADG CID and the DG of BSF inspected the scene of the crime in the Doharia locality of Madhyamgram. Post-poll violence continuesCrude bomb blasts were reported from the Panihati constituency, police said on Thursday (May 7, 2026). At least five Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) workers were injured and are now undergoing treatment. The Panihati constituency has been won by Ratna Debnath, the R.G. Kar victim’s mother, on a BJP ticket. “A blast happened here, but it was a little far away from my home. Two people were severely injured, and total seven were admitted to the hospital,” Ms. Debnath said. Blasts have also been reported from Howrah’s Sibpur area and visuals went viral on social media. Both the Trinamool Congress and the BJP said that they have each lost three party workers in the violence. Incidents of arson, vandalism, and clashes have been reported from multiple parts of the State since May 4, the day results were declared. Published - May 08, 2026 07:42 pm IST