Chandranath Rath murder: The breakthrough came after the police tracked a UPI payment made by the alleged assailants at a toll booth in Bally near Kolkata
A damaged glass window of a vehicle after BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari’s personal assistant Chandranath Rath was shot at from close range by unidentified assailants. (IMAGE: PTI)
Three main suspects — Vishal Srivastava, Raj Singh and Mayank Mishra – have been arrested in connection with the murder of Chandranath Rath, a close aide and Personal Assistant (PA) of West Bengal’s new Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, police said on Monday.
The breakthrough came after the police tracked a UPI payment made by the alleged assailants at a toll booth in Bally near Kolkata.
Who was Chandranath Rath? How was he killed?
Chandranath Rath, the personal assistant to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Adhikari, was killed in a planned ambush on the night of May 6.
The attack occurred near Doltala, Madhyamgram in West Bengal, less than 200 metres from Rath’s home. Rath’s car was intercepted by a silver-coloured vehicle with a fake number plate that forced it to stop in the middle of the road.
Motorcycle-borne assailants, who had been tailing his SUV, pulled up and fired multiple rounds at point-blank range through the front passenger window where Rath was seated. Investigators believe Glock semi-automatic pistols were used, with approximately 8 to 10 rounds fired in total.
Rath sustained at least three gunshot wounds — two to the chest (piercing his heart) and one to the abdomen. He was declared brought dead at the hospital. His driver, Buddhadeb Bera, was critically injured in the attack. A third occupant in the rear seat survived unhurt by ducking.
The UPI angle
Occupants of the silver Nissan Micra used in the ambush paid a toll via UPI. This transaction allowed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to identify a mobile number linked to one of the suspects.
Tracking this digital trail, joint teams from West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar arrested three individuals identified as Vishal Srivastava, Raj Singh, and Mayank Mishra.
The three arrested suspects have been brought to Kolkata for further interrogation. While the main shooters have been detained, the SIT is continuing raids in Ayodhya (UP) and Buxar (Bihar) to uncover the wider conspiracy and the mastermind behind the ₹40 lakh contract.
Investigators believe the killing was a professionally executed contract murder. The shooters reportedly knew exactly where Rath was seated in the SUV and completed the assassination in under 50 seconds.
Investigators described the murder as a “well-planned operation”. Police sources said extensive reconnaissance was allegedly carried out before the crime. Sources further claimed that forged documents related to the vehicle and motorcycle used in the operation were allegedly prepared as part of the planning process.
Who are the three suspects?
According to investigators, Raj Singh is suspected to be the main sharpshooter in the case. Police sources alleged that Mayank Raj Mishra coordinated the overall operation, while Vicky Maurya was part of the larger conspiracy. All three will be produced in court today.
Police have registered the case at Madhyamgram Police Station under sections 103(1), 111(2)(a), 126(2), 3(5), and 61(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act.
What was the motive?
A bike used in the crime was traced to a stolen vehicle, and the blocking car was found to have been listed on OLX before the hit.
Authorities are investigating if the motive was related to sensitive files Rath handled involving cattle smuggling and coal mafia networks.
With agency inputs
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