Suvendu Adhikari, a prominent leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India, labeled the murder of his aide, Chandranath Rath, as a 'cold-blooded murder' following the incident in Madhyamgram, North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal. Rath was shot dead on Wednesday night, just 48 hours after the assembly election results, prompting political outrage and concerns over escalating violence in the state. The assailants, who were on motorcycles, reportedly intercepted Rath's vehicle and opened fire at close range. Adhikari expressed his grief outside the hospital where Rath was taken, stating that the incident was 'heart-wrenching' and condemned the violence against BJP workers, which he claimed has been ongoing since the election results were announced. He noted that the manner of the attack suggested that the assailants had conducted reconnaissance beforehand. While he refrained from naming any specific organization responsible for the attack, he called for calm among BJP supporters and emphasized the importance of allowing police investigations to proceed without interference.