5 killed in Assam hotel shooting

Police have arrested the primary suspect, identified as Ghana Kanta Gogoi, and recovered the licensed .32-bore pistol used in the crime.

The incident occurred at the 'Bilas Inn' hotel, situated in a lane near the Bora Service area on GS Road. Local residents alerted the police after hearing a burst of gunshots from the hotel premises.

Responding police teams discovered four bodies inside a hotel room, while a fifth victim was found lying outside with bullet wounds. He was rushed to the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), where doctors declared him dead.

A hotel employee, Satyendra Pathak, sustained a bullet injury to his hand and is undergoing treatment at the hospital.

The deceased have been identified as Helena Bharali, the primary owner of the hotel; her son Eshan Kashyap (also known as Devarshi Kashyap); her brother-in-law Bhudeb Bharali; and employee Narayan Das. The identity of the fifth victim remains to be verified.

Guwahati Police Commissioner Partha Sarathi Mahanta stated that preliminary investigations indicate the shooting was not an act of insurgency or armed robbery, but the result of a long-standing financial and property conflict.

The hotel was originally owned by the late Dhruba Bharali, a businessman from Barpeta, whose family inherited the establishment after his passing. About a year ago, Helena Bharali leased the management of the hotel to Ghana Kanta Gogoi. Dispute subsequently arose between the two parties regarding lease agreement terms, overdue payments, and administrative control.

According to police, tensions flared during a reconciliation meeting held at the hotel on Monday night. In the heat of the argument, Gogoi drew his licensed firearm and opened fire at point-blank range on the owners and staff.

Following the shooting, Gogoi fled to the neighboring Paltan Bazaar area, where police teams located and apprehended him shortly after. The bodies have been sent to GMCH for post-mortem examinations, while forensic and ballistic teams continue to analyze the crime scene.