BJP aide shot dead near Kolkata in West Bengal
A close aide to West Bengal BJP chief Suvendu Adhikari has been shot dead near his home in Kolkata, in what party leaders have described as a cold-blooded killing.
Chandranath Rath, 41, was attacked late on Wednesday after motorbikes blocked his vehicle, according to the supplied report.
The attackers then fired a barrage of around a dozen shots, hitting him multiple times in the heart.
Adhikari, who is also the leader of the opposition in the state assembly, said the killing was cold-blooded murder.
The incident has added to tensions around political violence in West Bengal.
The shooting matters because it involved a senior opposition figure's close aide and took place days after a historic election win in the state, according to the supplied row.
That timing is likely to intensify scrutiny of security and law and order.
Rath's death also highlights the risks faced by political workers and associates in a highly charged local environment.
No further official details on arrests or the motive were included in the supplied material.
