GUWAHATI, October 27: Five people, including four members of the same family, were killed and another person was injured in a shooting incident at Hotel Bilas Inn on GS Road in Guwahati on Monday night. Police suspect that the incident stemmed from a dispute over a hotel lease agreement.

Five Killed, Four from Same Family, in Guwahati Hotel Shooting; Accused Arrested

According to reports, the shooting took place at around 9 pm on October 26. Six people sustained gunshot injuries, of whom five later succumbed to their injuries. The sixth victim, identified as Satyen Pathak, 42, suffered a bullet injury to his shoulder and is undergoing treatment at Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).

Guwahati Police arrested the alleged shooter, identified as Ghanakanta Gogoi, within an hour of the incident. Police also seized a licensed .32-bore pistol suspected to have been used in the shooting.
Guwahati Police Commissioner Partha Sarathi Mahanta said preliminary investigations suggest that the incident may have been triggered by a dispute between the hotel owners and Gogoi over a lease agreement. The accused had reportedly taken the hotel on lease last year.

The Police Commissioner confirmed that four of the deceased belonged to the same family associated with the hotel's ownership, while the fifth deceased and the injured person were from the same village as the owners. Police have not yet formally disclosed the identities of all the deceased, pending verification.

Police said the investigation is at an early stage, and all possible angles are being examined. Forensic and scientific teams are inspecting the crime scene and collecting evidence to establish the sequence of events and determine the exact circumstances behind the shooting.

Authorities have cautioned that the suspected motive remains subject to verification as the investigation progresses.

The incident has sent shockwaves through Guwahati, with five lives lost in a single shooting. Further details are awaited as the police investigation continues.