In West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, Chandranath Rath, the personal assistant of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari, was shot dead by unidentified assailants on Wednesday night. The incident took place in Madhyamgram, triggering strong political reactions from the BJP. According to police, Rath sustained multiple bullet injuries to his head, chest and abdomen. He was immediately rushed to a hospital but was declared dead on arrival. Visuals from the scene showed the vehicle in which Rath was travelling riddled with bullet holes, with shattered glass scattered around the car. The vehicle, which carried a ‘West Bengal Legislative Assembly On Duty’ symbol, was also seen stained with blood following the attack.
Reacting to the killing, BJP MLA-elect Swapan Dasgupta described the incident as a “targeted killing” and alleged that it was intended to test the patience of the party leadership.
Vijay Meets Tamil Nadu Governor to Stake Claim To Form Government
In Tamil Nadu, actor-turned-politician C Joseph Vijay met Governor Rajendra Arlekar on Wednesday to stake claim to form the government. However, he was not invited to do so immediately, as Raj Bhavan officials said legal consultations were underway to verify whether the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) had the required majority support.
According to reports, Vijay has submitted a list of TVK and Congress legislators backing his claim. Despite the submission, officials at Lok Bhavan indicated that no final decision had yet been taken regarding inviting Vijay to form the government or scheduling the swearing-in ceremony.
Deadly Hantavirus Outbreak Linked to Cruise Ship
Meanwhile, international health authorities are monitoring a deadly hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship that departed Cape Verde for Spain’s Canary Islands with nearly 150 people confined to their cabins.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said two confirmed hantavirus patients and one suspected case were evacuated from the ship on Wednesday. AP reported that health workers dressed in protective gear were transferring the patients.
The two confirmed patients later arrived at Amsterdam airport on Wednesday evening and were taken to separate hospitals for treatment.
According to the WHO, three people have died in connection with the outbreak, while one body remained onboard the ship. Out of eight recorded cases, five have been confirmed through laboratory testing.
The WHO explained that hantavirus is typically transmitted through inhalation of contaminated rodent droppings. While person-to-person transmission is possible, it remains rare. The agency’s top epidemic expert said the overall risk to the public remains low.
