Guwahati: A pall of grief continues to hang over the Bharali family’s residence in Barpeta following the deaths of five people in the Guwahati hotel shooting. Meanwhile, the future of the two young children of Devarshi Kashyap and Rinika Hijam Kashyap, who were among the victims, has become a major concern for the bereaved family.
The children’s grandmother and maternal uncle have arrived in Barpeta from Manipur to be with the family after the tragedy. As per reports, they plan to take the two children 1.5 yr old Evan and seven year old Kaira to Manipur after a few days.
Dilip Bharali, the children’s grandfather and the senior male member of the family, has also spoken about taking responsibility for their upbringing.
“As the eldest member of the family, the responsibility for the two children will rest with me,” Dilip Bharali said.
He added that discussions were under way regarding where the children would live, assuring the family that he would support them in every possible way.
The two children lost their parents in the shooting at Hotel Bilas Inn in Guwahati’s Bora Service area on Monday night.
The incident followed a dispute over the management of the property between its owners and leaseholder Ghanakanta Gogoi aged 34, who is currently in police custody at Paltan Bazar Police Station.
A meeting had reportedly been scheduled to resolve the dispute, but an argument allegedly escalated into a physical altercation before it began. Gogoi is accused of opening fire on six people, killing five and injuring one.
The family is now grappling with the loss while considering arrangements for the children’s future care.