Police Arrest Suspect After Five Die in Guwahati Hotel Shooting

A suspect was in police custody as investigators worked to explain a shooting that killed five people at Hotel Bilas Inn in Guwahati. Police Commissioner Partha Sarathi Mahanta named the arrested man as Ghanakanta Gogoi and said officers found a pistol they believe was used in the attack. The investigation is still in its early stages, he said. ³

Gogoi, whom Mahanta described as the only shooter, had taken over the hotel’s operations on lease about a year ago, according to the commissioner. Police say a lease dispute is emerging as a possible cause, though the investigation has not yet established the full story. The shooting happened Monday evening in the Bora Service area, in a lane near a Kalyan Jewellers outlet and Hotel Bilas Inn.^3,2 Police first reported finding four bodies; reports later said an injured person died at hospital, bringing the toll to five. ^1,5

Five deaths have brought grief to the victims’ families and alarm to people in a busy part of Assam’s largest city. Early reports gave conflicting details about the victims and how many people were injured. Police had confirmed finding four bodies, while one person reportedly died later at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital. Reports did not consistently confirm their identities or the exact order of events. The possible lease dispute gives investigators a lead to examine, not a proven motive. ^1,2,5

The pistol’s recovery and Gogoi’s arrest mark a shift from the initial search to questioning a suspect. Mahanta said police were questioning him and expected the investigation to reveal more within hours or by the following day. Officers still need to establish what happened, confirm the victims’ identities and determine whether anyone else took part. ³