Chandranath Rath, personal assistant to West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, was shot dead and his driver injured when assailants opened fire on their moving vehicle in Madhyamgram, North 24 Parganas, near Kolkata, on May 6, 2026. Rath sustained three of four bullet hits; the car's front left window was shattered by gunfire, according to police and eyewitness accounts.

Rath, a long-time aide and political coordinator for Adhikari, was described as part of his inner circle. Suvendu Adhikari rushed to the hospital where Rath's body was kept. Adhikari was not present during the attack, his brother Dibyendu Adhikari confirmed. The driver, Buddhadeb, was injured and hospitalized.

BJP leaders accused the Trinamool Congress of involvement, with Dibyendu Adhikari demanding a CBI probe. BJP leader Nikhil Prasun called it a 'brutal murder' and alleged a deeper conspiracy. The Trinamool Congress condemned the killing on X, blaming 'BJP-backed miscreants' for this and three other deaths in recent post-poll violence, while asserting that its worker Rathin Ghosh had narrowly won the Madhyamgram seat.

Kolkata Police Chief Ajay Kumar Nand said at least 80 people were arrested in connection with post-poll violence, including 65 in specific cases and 15 detained preventively. Authorities are investigating the attack on Rath as a potential act of political violence.

West Bengal election results concluded two days earlier, with the BJP making significant gains. The state police and central forces are maintaining heightened vigilance. The investigating team will submit its initial findings within 48 hours.