Guwahati Hotel Shooting Accused Raises "Encounter" Fears, Court Sets Conditions

A court in Guwahati has laid down conditions for the seven-day police custody of Ghanakanta Gogoi, accused of shooting dead five people and injuring another at a hotel in the city, after he raised "encounter" fears.

Gogoi, who was arrested soon after the shooting at Hotel Bilas Inn on Monday night, was on Tuesday remanded to seven days of police custody.

The court has issued directions on evidence recovery, security and medical examinations, while prohibiting custodial torture and directing police to provide basic necessities.

Medical examinations must also be conducted every 24 hours, and a DSP-rank officer must accompany him during evidence-recovery operations, with additional security arrangements required for operations conducted before sunrise or after sunset.

Gogoi's advocate has also filed a general petition raising concerns over his safety in custody.

The Guwahati Hotel Shooting

According to police, the initial investigation indicated that the shooting stemmed from a dispute over the lease and management of Hotel Bilas Inn, owned by the Bharali family and leased to Gogoi.

The family had entered into a five-year lease agreement with Gogoi on September 10, 2025, at a monthly rent of around Rs 1.8 lakh.

Disagreements reportedly arose after Gogoi renovated the property over its use and the provision of certain facilities.

A meeting had been scheduled at the hotel on Monday to resolve the issues. However, an argument escalated into a fight before the meeting could begin, following which Gogoi allegedly opened fire on six people.

The victims have been identified as Bhudev Bharali, his sister Helena, her son Debarshi Kashyap and daughter-in-law Rinika Kashyap, and family staffer Narayan Das.

A driver of the Bharali family, Satyendra Pathak, was also injured in the shooting. 

The police have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident.