Suvendu Adhikari's PA killed: Brother demands harshest punishment

Suvendu Adhikari's PA, Chandranath, was shot dead in a 'pre-planned murder' in West Bengal. His family demands justice, while the BJP alleges political vendetta. The ruling TMC has condemned the killing and called for a CBI probe into the incident.

Victim's Brother Demands Harshest Punishment

Dev Kumar, the younger brother of Chandranath, the personal assistant of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, on Thursday demanded strict punishment for those responsible for the killing, following the killing of Suvendu Adhikari's personal assistant Chandranath. Chandranath was shot at on Wednesday and later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital near Madhyamgram.

Speaking to reporters, Dev Kumar said the family had last spoken to Chandranath on Wednesday afternoon and added that he had no enmity with anyone. "Whoever has hatched this conspiracy should be given the harshest punishments. We had spoken to him around 2 PM yesterday... Yesterday he was sitting with us and spoke to us. After 2 PM, he left for Kolkata. He had no enmity with anyone," he said.

BJP Alleges Political Vendetta

Earlier, West Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya on Thursday targeted the Trinamool Congress (TMC), alleging that there is "no rule of law left in West Bengal" and said the incident could be a case of political vendetta and claimed that the manner of the crime pointed to a serious law and order breakdown. Speaking to ANI, Bhattacharya said, "Was this carried out to send a political message or is there some other motive behind it, or is it an act of political vendetta? The investigation is currently underway, and the truth will eventually come to light. This is no ordinary murder... They brought in a vehicle with its chassis numbers completely altered, blocked his path, and subsequently opened fire on him from a motorcycle."

Following the incident, West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari described the incident as a "cold-blooded and pre-planned murder" and appealed to BJP workers to maintain peace while assuring that the culprits would be brought to justice. "This is a pre-planned murder, and this is what DGP said. A recce was done for two to three days, and the murder was fully planned," Adhikari said.

Eyewitness Recounts Attack

An eyewitness to the incident told ANI that the assailant arrived on a motorcycle and fired shots at point-blank range before fleeing the scene. "The person seemed to be an expert and fled immediately. It appeared to be pre-planned," the eyewitness said.

TMC Demands CBI Probe

Meanwhile, the All India Trinamool Congress condemned the killing and demanded a court-monitored Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the incident. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)