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Even 72 hours after the killing of Chandranath Rath, personal assistant to chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, the assailants remain at large, with police yet to make any arrests in the case that has shaken West Bengal politics.

Investigators say the biggest hurdle in the probe is the absence of usable CCTV footage from key escape routes used by the attackers after the fatal shooting.

The incident took place on Wednesday night in the Doharia area of Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas, where the assailants intercepted Rath’s vehicle mid-road before opening fire at close range.

According to police sources, the attackers are believed to have fled on motorbikes via an alley route towards Peyara Bagan immediately after the shooting.

A senior police officer said on Sunday that the lack of surveillance coverage has severely slowed down the investigation.

“We are facing major challenges as several CCTV cameras along the suspected escape route are non-functional or poorly positioned,” the officer said.

Investigators revealed that multiple cameras in the Doharia–Mathpara stretch had been out of order for a long time, while others installed on light poles were misaligned, failing to capture clear visuals of the attackers.

CCTV footage from nearby shops has also offered little assistance, as most establishments were closed at the time of the incident.

A section of investigators suspects the attackers deliberately timed the assault after dark to avoid identification, ensuring that both faces and vehicle number plates remained untraceable.

Meanwhile, a new lead has emerged in the form of a suspicious red car seen trailing Rath’s vehicle.

Footage reportedly shows the car following Rath’s Scorpio from Birati intersection to Jessore Road and continuing close behind even after entering the Doharia area.

Police now suspect the vehicle may have been tracking Rath from an earlier point, and efforts are underway to identify and trace its occupants.

A special investigation team has been constituted to probe what officials believe was a “carefully planned and executed” assassination.

With IANS inputs