Guwahati Hotel Bilas Inn Firing: Five Killed in Targeted Attack Over Lease Dispute

Guwahati: On Monday night, at around 9 pm, Ghanakanta Gogoi opened fire at Hotel Bilas Inn in Guwahati’s Bora Service area, killing  five people and injuring another in an attack that wiped out several members of a family. Police Commissioner Partha Sarathi Mahanta confirmed the death toll and said the incident was suspected to have stemmed from a dispute over the hotel’s lease agreement.

As per police statement, the accused, identified as Ghanakanta Gogoi, allegedly opened fire with his licensed .32-calibre pistol at around 9 pm in a lane leading to the hotel, near a Kalyan Jewellers outlet. He was subsequently arrested by Paltan Bazar Police, and the weapon used in the shooting was seized.

Speaking to reporters, Mahanta said preliminary investigations indicated that the firing stemmed from a dispute between the hotel’s owners and its leaseholder. Gogoi had reportedly held the hotel’s lease for about a year. The accused is being questioned as part of the ongoing investigation.

The police commissioner confirmed that six people sustained gunshot injuries, of whom  five succumbed to their wounds. One injured person remains under treatment at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).

Mahanta said the victims were associated with the hotel owners’ side. Four of the deceased were members of the same family, while two others, including the injured person, belonged to the same village.

Among those reported killed were hotel owner Helena B Bharali, her son Devarshi Kashyap, Devarshi’s wife and Helena’s brother. Another victim was identified as Narayan Das, aged 48. Satyendra Pathak was reported to be undergoing treatment at GMCH. Police said details regarding the victims would be confirmed after further investigation and verification.

The shooting has also left two children of Devarshi and his wife orphaned, adding to the tragedy surrounding the incident.

The investigation is ongoing, with police examining the circumstances surrounding the alleged lease dispute and the events leading up to the shooting.

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