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. Gogoi’s advocate has also filed a general petition raising concerns over his safety in custody.
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, according to police.
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. 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.
