Tragedy Strikes Ulubari

GUWAHATI — A devastating mass shooting at a hotel in the Ulubari area of Guwahati has left five people dead and shaken the local community. The incident, which unfolded during a scheduled meeting to resolve a property lease dispute, has prompted the Assam Police to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the multi-fatality crime thoroughly.

According to law enforcement officials, the bloodshed was triggered by mounting tensions between the hotel's owner and the individual who had taken the property on lease. The victims have been identified as hotel owner Helena Bharali; her son, Devarshi Kashyap; Devarshi's wife, Rinika Kashyap; a family relative, Narayan Das; and Helena's brother, Bhudev Bharali.

A sixth individual, 43-year-old Satyendra Pathak, sustained a severe bullet injury to his shoulder but survived the attack. Pathak is currently undergoing medical treatment at the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH). Closed-circuit television footage recovered from the scene captured the terrifying moments of the attack, showing a gunman firing point-blank inside the premises.

The Dispute and Arrest

Police investigations reveal that the property owners had entered into a five-year lease agreement with the accused, identified as Ghanakanta Gogoi, on September 10, 2025, at a monthly rent of approximately Rs 1.8 lakh.

Following renovations undertaken by the accused, disagreements emerged regarding the use of the premises and the provision of specific facilities. A meeting was convened at the hotel to iron out these differences. However, authorities stated that the discussion quickly deteriorated into a physical altercation before formal talks could even begin, prompting the accused to open fire on six people.

Police teams responded swiftly, locating four victims inside the reception area and two injured individuals on the approach road, one of whom succumbed to injuries on the way to the hospital. The primary suspect, Ghanakanta Gogoi, was apprehended at the scene, and the firearm used in the commission of the crime has been successfully recovered.

SIT Formed as Political Pressure Mounts

To ensure a rigorous and exhaustive examination of the evidence, the Assam Police have constituted a Special Investigation Team led by Joint Commissioner of Police Ankur Jain.

"The SIT will undertake a comprehensive investigation into the incident, including examination of forensic evidence, statements of witnesses, the circumstances leading to the firing, and all other relevant aspects of the case," an official police statement confirmed.

Forensic experts from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) have meticulously combed the crime scene, recovering multiple spent cartridge cases and live rounds of .32 calibre ammunition.

The tragedy has also triggered sharp political reactions. State Congress president and Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi took to social media to condemn the violence, raising serious questions regarding the overarching law and order framework in the state capital and calling for heightened accountability from the state administration.