The prime accused in the Guwahati hotel shooting that killed five people was shot dead by police in Assam's Sivasagar district early Wednesday after he allegedly attempted to escape from custody while being taken for further investigation, police said.Ghanakanta Gogoi, 34, the leaseholder of Guwahati's Hotel Bilas Inn, was killed in the police firing, nine days after the October 26 shooting in which five people, including four members of the family that owned the property, were killed and another person was injured.The victims' families described his death as "God's justice", saying it had brought them some relief after days of fear and uncertainty, news agency PTI reported. According to police, Gogoi had allegedly opened fire on six people at Hotel Bilas Inn on October 26 following a purported dispute with the property's owners.
Five people were killed in the shooting, while Satyendra Pathak, 43, the Bharali family's driver, sustained injuries. Police arrested Gogoi shortly after the shooting and seized a licenced .32-bore pistol allegedly used in the crime.After completing seven days of police remand in the hotel shooting case, Gogoi was sent to jail by a Guwahati court on Tuesday.
However, hours later, Sivasagar police arrested him in connection with a separate bank fraud case registered in 2024. Officials said Gogoi was being taken to Sivasagar for further investigation when he allegedly attempted to flee from police custody.
Police opened fire during the incident, killing him in the early hours of Wednesday.The news of Gogoi's death brought a sense of relief to the families of those killed in the shooting. Relatives said they had been living with the fear that the accused could target them if he remained alive or eventually secured his release from custody.Speaking to reporters at the family's residence in Barpeta, the elderly mother of Bhudev and Helena Bharali said she had faith that justice would eventually be delivered.“Their souls will find peace now.
As their family, we will also find some peace. I want to thank the Almighty for giving us this justice.
I had my belief in God that justice would be done,” she said.Bhudev Bharali's daughter also thanked the people of Assam for standing by the family during the difficult period.“We are grateful to the people of Assam for their support and solidarity. Even in this time of sorrow, the news of the accused's death has given us some peace.
God has given us justice,” she said.Another family member said they had feared Gogoi could pose a threat to them if he remained alive or was eventually released from custody. His death, they said, had eased those concerns.The five people killed in the October 26 shooting were identified as Bhudev Bharali, 65; his sister Helena, 58; her son Debarshi Kashyap, 39; daughter-in-law Rinika Kashyap, 30; and family staff member Narayan Das, 48.Pathak, 43, who worked as the Bharali family's driver, was injured in the attack and was the only person to survive the shooting.Gogoi's death in the police firing comes nine days after the shooting that devastated the Bharali family.
While his death has brought some relief to the victims' relatives, they said the fear of further attacks had weighed on them since the October 26 incident.- Ends