Guwahati: Five people were killed and another was injured in a shooting at a hotel on Guwahati’s GS Road on Monday night, with police suspecting a dispute over the property’s lease agreement as the motive behind the incident.
The shooting took place around 9 pm at Hotel Bilas Inn, located opposite Bora Service and around two kilometres from the Assam Police headquarters. According to police, six people sustained gunshot wounds, of whom five died. The surviving victim is receiving medical treatment.
Guwahati Police Commissioner Partha Sarathi Mahanta confirmed the casualties and said the accused, identified as Ghanakanta Gogoi, had been apprehended within an hour of the shooting in the Paltan Bazar area.
What Led To The Guwahati Hotel Shooting?
Police said Gogoi had taken the hotel on lease around a year ago. Preliminary findings indicate that the shooting may have followed a dispute between the hotel owner and the leaseholder over the property’s lease agreement.
Mahanta said the accused allegedly opened fire on the victims, who were associated with the hotel owner. Four of the deceased belonged to the same family, while the fifth victim came from their village. The injured survivor is also from the same village, he added.
The weapon allegedly used in the shooting, a licensed .32-bore pistol, has been seized by the police. Gogoi is being questioned as investigators work to establish the sequence of events and the circumstances that led to the firing.
The police commissioner said a detailed scientific investigation was underway and that officials were working to establish the facts of the case.
Three Victims Identified, Survivor Stable
An investigating officer identified three of the deceased as Helena Bharali, Deborshi Kashyap and Narayan Das. The identities of the remaining two victims were still being verified, police said.
A senior doctor at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital identified the injured survivor as Satyen Pathak and said his condition was stable.
Gaurav Gogoi Raises Law And Order Concerns
The shooting also prompted a reaction from Assam Congress president and Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi, who expressed condolences to the victims’ families and questioned the state of public safety in Guwahati.
In a social media post, Gogoi described the incident as a serious concern for the city’s law-and-order situation. He called on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who also holds the Home portfolio, to take responsibility and pay greater attention to rising crime.
Gogoi, who is also the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, urged the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation, ensure those responsible face justice and take measures to prevent similar incidents.
Police said the investigation into the shooting was continuing.
