Five people, including a woman and her son, were killed and another seriously injured after a man allegedly opened fire near Hotel Bilas Inn in Guwahati, Assam, on Monday evening. Police suspect that a dispute over the hotel’s lease may have triggered the shooting.
The incident occurred around 9 pm near the hotel in the Bora Service area on GS Road, approximately two kilometres from the Assam Police headquarters.
The accused, identified as Ghanakanta Gogoi, was arrested following the incident. Police also recovered the licensed pistol allegedly used in the shooting.
Guwahati Police Commissioner Partha Sarathi Mahanta confirmed that six people sustained gunshot injuries. Four victims were found dead at the scene, while another succumbed to injuries during treatment at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH). One injured person remains under medical care.
Hotel Lease Dispute Under Investigation
According to preliminary investigations, Gogoi had taken Hotel Bilas Inn on lease from Helena Bharali and her family approximately a year ago. The family originally belonged to Barpeta and had moved to Guwahati nearly two decades earlier to establish businesses.
Police believe disagreements between the hotel owner and the leaseholder may have contributed to the shooting. However, investigators have not yet established the exact motive.
Mahanta said the accused would be questioned to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and whether the lease dispute was directly connected to the attack.
Woman, Son Among Victims
Police identified Helena Bharali as the first person allegedly shot, followed by her son, Debarshi Kashyap, and her elder brother, Bhudeb Bharali. All three died in the attack.
Another victim, Nayan Das, 48, was declared dead upon arrival at GMCH. Satyendra Pathak, 42, sustained severe gunshot injuries and is undergoing treatment.
According to GMCH principal Babul Kumar Bezbaruah, Pathak suffered significant blood loss but was responding to treatment. Both Das and Pathak were employed at the hotel and had been appointed by Bharali’s family.
Police said all five deceased individuals were associated with the hotel owner.
A case has been registered against Gogoi, and investigators are examining the sequence of events, the use of the licensed firearm and the circumstances surrounding the suspected property dispute.
The bodies have been sent to GMCH for postmortem examination, and the victims’ families have been informed. Further investigation is underway.
