Guwahati hotel owner, 4 of family killed in shooting amid dispute with tenant

Mangalore Today News Network

Guwahati, Oct 27, 2026: Five people, including four members of the same family, were shot dead at a hotel in Guwahati on Monday night. The firing took place at Hotel Bilas Inn in the city’s busy Bora Service area and also left one person injured.

Police arrested the accused, identified as Ghanakanta Gogoi, the leaseholder of the property, within an hour of the incident and seized the weapon used in the shooting.

The victims have been identified as hotel owner Helena Bharali, her brother Bhudev Bharali, her son Devarshi Kashyap, daughter-in-law Riniki Kashyap, and their driver Narayan Das.

The injured person is Satyendra Pathak, caretaker of the hotel.

A senior doctor at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital said the lone survivor in the shootout has been identified as Satyen Pathak and his condition is stable at present.

Guwahati Police Commissioner Dr Partha Sarathi Mahanta said the firing took place at around 9 pm. Six people sustained gunshot injuries, of whom five succumbed to their injuries. The surviving injured person is undergoing treatment at a hospital.

According to the police commissioner, four of the deceased belonged to the same family, while the fifth was from their village. The injured person is also from the same village.

Giving details of the incident, Mahanta said the preliminary investigation suggested that the shooting stemmed from a property dispute related to the lease agreement of Hotel Bilas Inn.

The accused had taken the hotel on lease, and the dispute reportedly involved the hotel owner’s side and the person who had leased the property.

"The weapon used in the incident, a .32-bore licensed pistol, has been seized. Interrogation is underway, and preliminary investigation suggests that the incident stemmed from a property dispute related to the lease agreement of the hotel," Mahanta added.

Earlier, police teams had reached the spot and launched an operation to apprehend those responsible. The bodies of the victims are being sent for post-mortem examinations.

ASSAM CONGRESS QUESTIONS LAW AND ORDER

The Assam Congress criticised the security situation in Guwahati following the shooting, raising concerns about public safety and law and order in the state.

In a post on X, the party said, “The shocking security situation in Guwahati raises serious questions about public safety and the state of law and order in Assam.”

Expressing condolences to the victims’ families, it added, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims during this difficult time.”

“The people of Assam deserve better! The government must act immediately and ensure accountability!” the party said, calling for urgent action from the state government.

Courtesy: India Today