A UPI payment made at a toll booth near Kolkata has emerged as a crucial lead in the murder probe of Chandranath Rath, a close aide of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, even as police are yet to make any arrests more than four days after the killing.
Investigators are tracking a digital payment made by suspects at a toll plaza in Bally, using CCTV footage to map their movement before and after the crime. Officials believe the transaction could help identify those involved and establish the escape route used by the assailants.
Rath was shot dead on Wednesday night near his home in Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas district. According to police, his SUV was intercepted about 200 metres from his residence when a silver Nissan Micra blocked the vehicle. As the car came to a halt, bike-borne assailants opened fire at point-blank range, fatally injuring Rath, who was seated in the front passenger seat.
Investigators suspect the attackers had precise information about Rath’s seating position, pointing to a premeditated and professionally executed operation. “The shooters appeared to know exactly where the target was seated. The execution was swift and coordinated,” a senior Special Investigation Team (SIT) officer said.
Police believe at least eight individuals were involved, including local associates who provided logistical support. Two teams have been sent to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar amid suspicions that the shooters were brought in from outside the state.
As part of the probe, police have seized the silver Nissan Micra used in the crime, along with two motorcycles, one recovered near the crime scene and another from Barasat. Preliminary findings suggest that the red car and motorcycles used in the escape were stolen.
Three individuals have been detained and are being questioned.
Meanwhile, Rath’s body was taken to his native village Kulup in Purba Medinipur district, where it was draped in the national flag for public tribute. A former Indian Air Force personnel, Rath was considered a close associate of Adhikari.
Police said efforts are ongoing to trace and arrest all those involved in the killing.
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