Guwahati Hotel Shooting: Lease Dispute Turns Deadly, Five Killed as Owner’s Family Is Targeted

October 27, 2026

Guwahati: A dispute over a hotel lease allegedly turned deadly in Guwahati on Monday night, leaving five people dead and another injured after a shooting at Hotel Bilas Inn in the Bora Service area.

The firing took place at around 9 pm on October 26. Police suspect the violence followed an ongoing disagreement between the hotel owner’s side and Ghanakanta Gogoi, who had taken the property on lease last year.

Guwahati Police Commissioner Partha Sarathi Mahanta said six people sustained gunshot injuries in the incident. Five of them died, while the sixth was taken to hospital for treatment.

Gogoi was arrested within an hour of the shooting. Police also recovered a licensed .32-calibre pistol believed to have been used in the attack. Interrogation was underway, and investigators were examining the circumstances that led to the firing.

What led to the shooting at Hotel Bilas Inn?

According to the preliminary police investigation, the shooting appears to have stemmed from a property dispute involving the hotel’s lease agreement.

Gogoi had reportedly taken Hotel Bilas Inn on lease about a year ago. Police suspect tensions had developed between him and the hotel owner’s family over the arrangement.

An argument reportedly broke out on Monday night before the firing began. However, police have not established the precise sequence of events or publicly confirmed the specific disagreement that triggered the shooting.

The investigation remains at an early stage. Officers are examining the available evidence to determine how the dispute escalated into violence and what happened inside the hotel before the shots were fired.

Police have also said the findings of the preliminary investigation will need to be verified before a final conclusion can be reached.

Four victims belonged to the same family

The shooting claimed the lives of five people associated with the hotel owner’s side. According to Police Commissioner Mahanta, four of the deceased belonged to the same family, while the fifth was from their village.

Three victims were identified in media reports as Helena Bharali, Deborshi Kashyap and Narayan Das. The identities of the remaining victims were still being verified in the available reports.

The incident has left several families grieving and raised questions about how a dispute over a commercial property could escalate into such a deadly confrontation.

Who is the accused, Ghanakanta Gogoi?

Police identified the accused as Ghanakanta Gogoi, the person who had reportedly taken the hotel on lease.

According to the police commissioner, Gogoi was apprehended within approximately an hour of the incident. The pistol allegedly used in the firing was also seized.

Police said Gogoi was being questioned as investigators worked to establish the full sequence of events. The commissioner described the inquiry as preliminary and said a scientific investigation was underway.

Authorities have not yet established all the circumstances behind the shooting. The suspected connection with the lease dispute remains the main line of investigation reported so far.

Injured survivor receiving treatment

Satyen Pathak, 42, was identified as the person who survived the shooting. He sustained a bullet injury to his shoulder and was taken to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital.

Later reports said his condition was stable and that he was receiving treatment. Initial reports had described the injured person as being in critical condition, but subsequent reporting provided a more reassuring update.

Police continue investigation

Police teams are examining the crime scene and collecting evidence to establish what happened inside Hotel Bilas Inn. The recovered firearm is also part of the investigation.

For now, the suspected lease dispute provides the main explanation for the shooting, but investigators are yet to establish the exact trigger for the attack.

The arrest of Gogoi and the recovery of the pistol are significant developments in the case. Police are continuing their investigation to determine the sequence of events and establish responsibility for the killings.