First Breakthrough in Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari Aide Murder - 3 Arrested from Bihar and UP

In a major breakthrough in the investigation into the brutal murder of Chandranath Rath, a close personal aide to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, West Bengal Police have arrested three suspects from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The arrests mark the first concrete progress in what has become a multi-state probe into the targeted killing that stunned political circles in the state just days after the Assembly election results.

Mayank Raj Mishra and Vicky Maurya were detained from Buxar district in Bihar, while Raj Singh was picked up from Ballia in Uttar Pradesh on May 10. Acting on specific intelligence leads, teams from Madhyamgram Police Station, along with CID coordinated with counterparts in the two neighbouring states to trace and apprehend the trio. Following detailed interrogation, all three were formally arrested early this morning by officers of Madhyamgram Police Station. Police sources described the operation as a swift, cross-border effort that relied on real-time intelligence sharing and tracking of possible inter-state criminal networks.

The murder took place on the night of May 6, 2026, when Rath, 41, was ambushed in a meticulously planned attack while returning home to his flat in Madhyamgram’s Orchard Estate in North 24 Parganas district. The former Indian Air Force veteran, who had served as Adhikari’s trusted executive assistant since the BJP leader’s shift to the party in 2020, was travelling in his Mahindra Scorpio SUV near the Doharia crossing, barely 200 metres from his residence. According to preliminary findings, a small car blocked the SUV’s path before motorcycle-borne assailants opened fire at point-blank range in a lightning operation that lasted less than a minute. Rath suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen and was declared brought dead at a nearby hospital. His driver, Buddhadeb Bera, was critically injured and remains under treatment.

Rath, originally from Chandipur in Purba Medinipur, had maintained a remarkably low-profile life in Madhyamgram for the past four years, living quietly with his wife and son. Neighbours described him as soft-spoken and reclusive, unaware of his influential political role until the night of the tragedy. As Adhikari’s shadow in both strategic and day-to-day matters, Rath had played a key behind-the-scenes part in the party’s recent electoral campaign. The killing, coming in the immediate aftermath of the polls, triggered widespread outrage and allegations of a deeper political conspiracy.

Senior officers confirmed that the arrested trio are suspected hired sharpshooters brought in from outside West Bengal for what investigators believe was a contract killing. CCTV footage showing the suspects fleeing the scene on motorcycles, along with forensic evidence from the bullet-riddled vehicle and abandoned getaway car, helped narrow down leads. The multi-state dimension of the case prompted close coordination between West Bengal, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh police forces, with possible involvement of central agencies.

“The investigation is proceeding at full pace. We are questioning the accused to establish the full conspiracy, identify any local facilitators, and uncover the motive,” a senior police official said. While no official motive has been confirmed, sources indicated that angles related to political rivalry and hired assassins are being thoroughly examined.

The arrests have brought a measure of relief to Rath’s grieving family and the wider political fraternity, even as demands grow for a speedy and impartial probe. Police claim there could be more arrests in days to come as their investigation continues.