West Bengal police have launched a manhunt for motorcycle-borne assailants who shot dead Chandranath Rath, a close aide to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari, in North 24 Parganas on Wednesday night. Rath was intercepted near Doltala in Madhyamgram at approximately 10:30 PM by gunmen who opened fire after forcing his vehicle to stop.

Preliminary investigations suggest a coordinated ambush involving four motorcycles and a blocking vehicle. Director General of Police Siddhinath Gupta confirmed that a car with a falsified number plate used in the blockade has been seized, while forensic teams recovered multiple empty cartridges and live ammunition from the crime scene.

Investigators suspect the involvement of professional hitmen using sophisticated firearms, potentially including Glock 47X pistols. A senior police official stated that the precision of the attack and the specific weaponry used indicate a targeted contract killing rather than routine criminal activity.

Multiple police teams are currently analyzing CCTV footage from the crime scene and surrounding routes to identify the suspects, who reportedly wore helmets and used motorcycles without license plates. Forensic reports on the recovered ballistics are expected shortly as the state-wide search for the assailants continues.