KOLKATA: A Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the murder of Suvendu Adhikari’s personal assistant Chandranath Rath has arrested three people and widened its probe across multiple states, with cops suspecting that hired sharpshooters brought in from outside West Bengal carried out the killing with military-style precision.One of the accused was arrested from Ayodhya.Rath, a close aide of Suvendu Adhikari, was gunned down inside his car near Doharia crossing in Madhyamgram of North 24 Parganas district on the night of May 6, barely 170 metres from his residence. His driver, Buddhadeb Bera, sustained critical injuries in the attack and remains under treatment.According to cops, the attackers executed the operation in barely 50 seconds. A silver-coloured hatchback allegedly intercepted Rath’s vehicle before bike-borne assailants opened fire at close range.“It appears the shooters knew exactly where the target was seated inside the vehicle. The execution was swift and professionally coordinated,” a senior SIT officer said.Police suspect at least eight people were involved in the conspiracy, including local operatives who allegedly provided logistical support to the shooters. Investigators believe the attackers used a red hatchback and multiple motorcycles to flee after the attack.CCTV footage collected from the area showed another vehicle trailing the silver hatchback during the ambush. Police are now examining movement patterns, escape routes and communication records to identify the remaining suspects.The SIT has recovered two motorcycles linked to the crime — one near the airport area and another near rail gates 11 and 12 in Barasat. Preliminary findings suggest the motorcycles as well as the red hatchback had been stolen earlier and fitted with fake number plates to avoid detection.A key breakthrough came after investigators traced a UPI payment made at the Nivedita Setu toll plaza on May 6. Police said the digital trail led them to Jharkhand, where they suspect the silver hatchback used in the murder may have been procured.Sources in the investigation said the attackers deliberately avoided using FASTag and instead made a direct digital payment, which allowed the SIT to track the vehicle’s movement into Kolkata.Police teams have been dispatched to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and Jharkhand as investigators probe possible inter-state criminal links. Investigators believe the murder was planned weeks in advance and executed with professional coordination involving criminals from multiple states.
