Guwahati horror: Hotel owner, four of family shot dead over dispute with leaseholder
PTC News Desk: Five people, including four members of the same family, were shot dead at a hotel in Guwahati on Monday night. The incident took place at Hotel Bilas Inn in the busy Bora Service area and left one other person injured.
Police arrested the accused, identified as Ghanakanta Gogoi, within an hour of the shooting. Gogoi is the leaseholder of the hotel. Police also seized the weapon allegedly used in the attack.
The victims have been identified as hotel owner Helena Bharali, her brother Bhudev Bharali, her son Devarshi Kashyap, her daughter-in-law Riniki Kashyap, and their driver, Narayan Das.
The injured survivor was identified as Satyendra Pathak, the hotel’s caretaker. A senior doctor at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital said Pathak’s condition was stable and that he was receiving treatment.
Property dispute suspected motive
Guwahati Police Commissioner Dr Partha Sarathi Mahanta said the shooting occurred at around 9 pm. Six people suffered gunshot injuries, but five later died. The sixth person survived and is undergoing treatment.
According to the police commissioner, four of the deceased belonged to the same family, while the fifth was from their village. The injured survivor was also from the same village.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the shooting was linked to a property dispute over the lease agreement for Hotel Bilas Inn. The dispute reportedly involved the hotel owner’s family and the person who had leased the property.
Police seized a licensed .32-bore pistol believed to have been used in the shooting. The accused is being questioned as investigators work to establish the exact circumstances and motive behind the incident. Police teams reached the hotel soon after the shooting and launched an operation to arrest those responsible. The bodies of the victims are being sent for post-mortem examinations as the investigation continues.
- PTC NEWS
