A man accused of shooting five people dead at a hotel in Guwahati last week was killed in a police firing incident in Assam’s Sivasagar district early on Wednesday, November 4. Police said the accused, identified as Ghanakanta Gogoi, allegedly attempted to snatch a police officer’s service weapon while being transported in connection with a separate case.
The incident took place in the Gaurisagar area at around 3:12 am, according to police officials. Gogoi was taken out of the police vehicle after reportedly asking to step away to relieve himself. Police alleged that he then tried to seize the service pistol of an investigating officer, triggering a struggle between him and the escort team.
Sivasagar Senior Superintendent of Police Papori Chetia said the accused was considered an experienced shooter. During the alleged scuffle, several rounds were fired and a police officer sustained an injury to his leg. Another member of the escort team opened fire, injuring Gogoi, the officer said.
Gogoi was taken to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Police said the injured officer was receiving treatment and was in stable condition. The precise sequence of events and the circumstances surrounding the firing are expected to be examined as part of the investigation.
Why Gogoi was being taken to Sivasagar
Gogoi was being transported from Guwahati to Sivasagar in connection with a separate case registered in the Upper Assam district. He had been arrested by Sivasagar Police in a bank fraud case dating back to 2024, officials said.
His movement came shortly after the conclusion of his police remand in the Guwahati hotel shooting case. After seven days in police custody, he was produced before a court and sent to judicial custody on Tuesday. He was subsequently taken into custody in connection with the separate case and was being escorted to Sivasagar when the firing incident occurred.
The police account suggests that the alleged attempt to take an officer’s weapon happened after Gogoi was allowed to get out of the vehicle. Officials said the escort team responded when the situation turned violent. Details such as the exact positions of the officers, the number of shots fired and the sequence of the confrontation will be important in establishing what happened.
Five people were killed at Hotel Bilas Inn
Gogoi had been arrested in connection with a shooting at Hotel Bilas Inn in Guwahati’s Bora Service area on the night of October 26. The incident left five people dead and another person injured, shocking residents of the city.
According to the initial police investigation, the firing followed a dispute involving the hotel’s ownership, lease and management. Gogoi, a businessman based in Guwahati, had reportedly taken the property on lease. Investigators were examining disagreements between him and the hotel owners over the operation and use of the premises.
Police said six people sustained gunshot injuries during the incident. Four victims were found dead in the hotel’s reception area, while two injured people were discovered outside. They were taken to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, where one of them later died. The surviving injured person was undergoing treatment.
The deceased were identified as hotel co-owner Helena Bharali, 58; her brother Bhudev Bharali, 65; Helena’s son Debarshi Kashyap, 39; her daughter-in-law Rinika Kashyap, 30; and Narayan Das, 48. Four of the five victims belonged to the same family, while Das was associated with the family.
Police had said that the accused was apprehended after the shooting and that a licensed .32-bore pistol was recovered. Investigators also collected cartridges and other material from the scene. A Special Investigation Team was formed to examine the circumstances behind the killings, including the possible property-related motive.
Investigation into the encounter will be significant
Gogoi’s death means that the criminal case against him cannot proceed to trial in the ordinary manner. However, the circumstances of the October 26 shooting and the evidence collected by investigators remain important for establishing the sequence of events and documenting the alleged offences.
The police version of Wednesday’s encounter is that Gogoi attempted to seize an officer’s weapon and that another officer fired to protect the team. These details have been provided by the police and should be understood as the official account of the incident. A complete assessment would depend on the findings of the relevant investigation, including medical and forensic evidence, police records and statements from those present.
The incident also raises questions about the security arrangements used when an accused person is moved between districts, particularly in a serious criminal case. The escort procedure, circumstances in which Gogoi was allowed out of the vehicle and the handling of firearms may all be relevant to establishing how the confrontation developed.
For the families of the five people killed at Hotel Bilas Inn, the encounter does not change the loss they suffered. The original case remains a matter of public concern, while the latest incident creates a separate set of questions that authorities will need to address.
As of Wednesday morning, police had confirmed Gogoi’s death and the injury to an officer. Further details about the encounter and the investigations into both cases were awaited.
