Guwahati, Oct 27: The accused in the Guwahati hotel shootout that left five people dead and one critically injured allegedly told his family that he had opened fire in self-defence.
Accused Ghanakanta Gogoi’s sister-in-law, Nandita Gogoi, claimed that he had contacted the family after the incident and said he had been assaulted by the victims before firing his licensed firearm.
“From what he told us, seven people came and attacked him, hitting him on the head. He said he pleaded with them not to hit him, but they did not listen. He believed they had come with a proper plan,” she said.
The sister-in-law said the family was unaware of the exact nature of the disputes between accused and the victims. She further claimed that Ghanakanta had told them that two women were among those who assaulted him.
“He said he warned them that he would shoot them, but they did not stop. He told us that he was taken inside the hotel and beaten. He said that if he had not fired, he would have been killed,” she added.
According to her, Ghanakanta later contacted the family again and maintained that he had been forced to open fire after the alleged assault.
“He called my husband and said that the people had attacked him and that he was forced to shoot them. He had a licensed gun, which he had taken for his own safety,” she said.
The family also claimed that Ghanakanta had leased Hotel Bilas Inn under a 10-year agreement, but the arrangement lasted only about a year.
He had reportedly invested a substantial amount in the hotel, after which disputes allegedly arose over the investment and demands for repayment.
“This is not right. He had invested a lot of money in the hotel,” Nandita said.
The shooting took place at Hotel Bilas Inn in South Sarania, Ulubari, around 9 pm on Monday.
Five people were killed and one person was injured. Four victims died at the scene, while the fifth succumbed to injuries at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH). Ghanakanta was apprehended within an hour of the incident.
The deceased have been identified as Helena Bharali, her son Debarshi Ishan Kashyap, Debarshi’s wife Rinika, Helena’s brother Bhudev Bharali, and Narayan Das, an electrician who had visited the hotel for wiring work.
The sixth victim, Satyendra Pathak, is in stable condition, a hospital official said on Tuesday.
GMCH Superintendent Devajit Choudhury said the bullet had passed through Pathak’s right hand without damaging any vital organs.
“He is in a stable condition. He will require further tests and will have to remain in the hospital for a few more days,” Choudhury said.
He added that post-mortem examinations of the five deceased were being conducted at GMCH and that the bodies would be handed over to their families after the necessary formalities.