Hotel Lease Dispute Suspected Behind Guwahati Shooting That Killed 5

A dispute over the lease of a hotel in Guwahati is suspected to have triggered a shooting that left five people dead and one injured on Monday evening. The police have arrested the accused, Ghanakanta Gogoi, but are yet to establish the motive behind the attack.

The firing took place near Hotel Bilas Inn in the Bora Service area of the Assam capital around 9 pm, Guwahati Police Commissioner Partha Sarathi Mahanta said. The police have recovered the pistol allegedly used in the shooting.

Six people sustained bullet injuries in the incident. Four bodies were initially recovered from the spot, while another injured person died during treatment at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH). One person remains under treatment.

Lease Dispute Suspected As Motive

According to Mahanta, Gogoi had taken Hotel Bilas Inn on lease from its owner, Helena Bharali, around a year ago. The property belongs to Bharali and her family, who are originally from Barpeta.

Initial investigations suggest that Bharali and her family moved to Guwahati nearly two decades ago to establish businesses. Gogoi, a resident of Guwahati, had been in contact with the family for several years.

“Our initial investigation indicates that Gogoi had taken the hotel on lease from Bharali around a year ago, and they were involved in a dispute that could have led to the firing,” Mahanta said, adding that the accused would be questioned.

The police have not reached a conclusion on the motive. They are investigating whether disagreements over the hotel’s lease and property were directly linked to the shooting, as well as how the licensed pistol was used.

Hotel Owner, Son And Brother Among Dead

The police said Helena Bharali was the first person to be shot, followed by her son, Debarshi Kashyap, and her elder brother, Bhudeb Bharali. All three died.

GMCH principal Babul Kumar Bezbaruah said Nayan Das, 48, also died, while Satyendra Pathak, 42, was undergoing treatment for severe bullet injuries.

“Nayan was brought dead. The bullet got stuck in his mouth. Satyendra was bleeding so much because a bullet pierced part of his body, but he is responding to treatment now,” Bezbaruah said.

Both Das and Pathak worked at the hotel and had been appointed by Helena Bharali, according to family members.

Police Investigate Circumstances Of Shooting

The police have registered a case against Gogoi and are investigating the sequence of events that led to the shooting. They are also examining whether the lease dispute was directly connected to the attack.

The bodies have been sent to GMCH for postmortem examinations, and the victims’ family members have been formally informed about the incident.