West Bengal Director General of Police Siddh Nath Gupta confirmed on Thursday that the motorcycle used in the assassination of Chandranath Rath — personal assistant to outgoing Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari — bore a fake number plate. Rath was declared dead at Viva City Hospital in Madhyamgram, North 24 Parganas, after being brought there in bullet-hit condition on Wednesday night.

What the DGP Confirmed at the Hospital

At around 1.30 am on Thursday, DGP Gupta arrived at Viva City Hospital and addressed the media. "The motorcycle used in the assassination was bearing a fake number plate. We have recovered shells of used cartridges as well as some live cartridges from the spot of the assassination. A detailed investigation into the matter is on. Right now, I am unable to disclose further details," Gupta said.

The recovery of both used and live cartridges from the scene points to a sustained firing episode, according to investigators. Police have not yet named any suspects publicly.

How the Attack Unfolded

According to state police insiders citing eyewitness accounts, Rath's vehicle was initially followed by a four-wheeler for a considerable distance. When his car reached Doharia crossing in Madhyamgram, the trailing four-wheeler overtook and blocked his vehicle. However, further investigation revealed that a motorcycle had been silently shadowing Rath's car throughout the journey.

At the crossing, while the four-wheeler blocked the road, the motorcycle rider opened fire. Police sources noted that the precision and coordination of the attack strongly suggests it was pre-planned and carried out by professional killers, though investigators have not formally attributed motive or identity.

BJP's Political Allegation

State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president and Rajya Sabha member Samik Bhattacharya formally alleged that the killing was the result of a conspiracy by the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) leadership, reportedly frustrated by the party's defeat in the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections.

"Since the beginning I had been saying that during the interim period between the declaration of results and the formation of the new cabinet, it is the responsibility of the ECI to ensure a peaceful law and order situation in the state. Already, Trinamool Congress-backed goons have started creating disturbances in different pockets of the state masquerading as BJP workers. And now they have murdered the personal assistant of the outgoing leader of the opposition to send a message. I am not surprised, since this is the culture of Trinamool Congress," Bhattacharya said.

The TMC has not issued a formal response to these allegations as of the time of reporting. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has also not publicly commented on the law and order situation in the state.

Background and What Comes Next

The killing comes during a politically sensitive transition period in West Bengal, following the conclusion of state assembly elections. The use of a fake number plate, a coordinated blocking vehicle, and professional-grade execution suggests a level of planning that investigators say will require a detailed forensic and intelligence-led probe.

Police have not yet confirmed whether any CCTV footage from Doharia crossing has been recovered. A formal case has been registered and investigation is ongoing, with authorities expected to share further details as the probe progresses.