Five Killed in Shooting at Guwahati's Bilas Inn Hotel: Owner's Family Among Dead in Lease Dispute, Accused Arrested
Five people have been killed in indiscriminate firing at a hotel in Guwahati, the capital of the Indian state of Assam. The incident took place on Monday night (26 October) at the 'Bilas Inn' hotel in the Bora Service area adjoining GS Road. Another person was seriously injured in the incident.
Police said local residents alerted them after hearing gunshots, and officers recovered four bodies inside the hotel. A fifth person was later found shot outside the hotel and taken to hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
The dead include the hotel's owner Helena Bharali, her son Eshan Debarshi Kashyap, her brother Bhudeb Bharali, Narayan Das, and one unidentified person.
Hotel employee Satyendra Pathak was shot and is receiving treatment in hospital.
Police's preliminary investigation found that the killings stemmed from a long-running financial and property dispute. The hotel had been leased about a year ago to a man named Ghanakanta Gogoi for its operation. A dispute had been running between Ghanakanta and Helena Bharali and her family over the lease, arrears and control of ownership.
According to the police allegation, during a discussion on the matter on Monday night, an argument escalated and Ghanakanta opened fire with his licensed point .32 bore pistol.
After the incident, Ghanakanta fled and tried to hide in the Paltanbazar area. Police raided the area and arrested him, recovering the firearm used in the killings from him.
Guwahati Police Commissioner Parthasarathi Mahanta has said this was not a militant attack or an armed robbery. A detailed forensic and ballistic investigation into the incident is under way.
