West Bengal Reports Zero Political Killings Since 2022, Despite On-Ground Violence

The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has recorded zero political killings in West Bengal since 2022, despite multiple incidents of politically linked violence reported across the state, including the 2026 shooting of Chandranath Rath, personal assistant to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, in North 24 Parganas. Rath's killing, carried out at point-blank range days after election results, is among the most high-profile political attacks in recent years.

Between 2014 and 2021, West Bengal reported 47 political murders in NCRB data, but the official count dropped to zero beginning in 2022. That year, at least 10 people died in the Birbhum (Bogtui) massacre, which followed the killing of a local Trinamool Congress leader; the incident was widely described as politically motivated. In 2023, more than 40 people were killed during violent clashes in the state's panchayat elections, yet the NCRB recorded no political murders.

Media reports documented five to six election-related deaths in 2024, but official statistics remained unchanged. Critics have questioned the methodology used to classify crimes, noting that reclassifying politically motivated violence as personal disputes or arson could account for the discrepancy. The state government has not publicly addressed the data gap.

The killing of Rath has reignited debate over transparency in crime reporting and the handling of political violence. Law enforcement agencies have launched an investigation into the shooting, and security has been heightened for other political figures in the region.

State election monitors and opposition parties have called for independent verification of political violence data. The Election Commission is expected to review security protocols ahead of upcoming polls.