Guwahati, October 27: Five people, including four members of the same family, were killed in a shooting at Hotel Bilas Inn near Bora Service in Guwahati on Monday night. Another person, identified as caretaker Satyendra Pathak, was injured and is undergoing treatment at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).
Those killed include hotel owner Helena Bharali, her son Devarshi Kashyap, daughter-in-law Riniki Kashyap, her brother Bhudev Bharali, and Narayan Das.
Accused Arrested
Police arrested the accused, Ghanakanta Gogoi, within approximately an hour of the incident, according to Guwahati Police Commissioner Partha Sarathi Mahanta. A licensed .32-bore pistol, suspected to have been used in the shooting, was also seized.
Hotel Lease Dispute Suspected
Preliminary investigation points to a possible property dispute related to the hotel’s lease. Police reportedly said Gogoi had taken the hotel on lease around a year ago.
However, the exact circumstances leading to the shooting and the motive behind the killings have not yet been conclusively established. Police are questioning the accused and conducting forensic examinations at the scene.
Six Shot, Five Dead
According to the reported information, six people were shot during the incident. Five died, while Pathak survived with injuries and remains under treatment.
Claims that the accused confessed to carrying out the killings over a financial dispute could not be independently confirmed from the available police statements. The preliminary line of investigation points to a possible dispute over the hotel lease, but the motive remains subject to further investigation.
