Hotel Bilas Inn Shooting Accused Ghanakanta Gogoi Shot Dead by Police in Sivasagar

The 34-year-old accused in the Guwahati hotel shooting case died following police firing during an alleged escape attempt. A police officer was also injured in the incident.

Guwahati | November 4, 2026

A week after five people lost their lives in a shooting at Hotel Bilas Inn in Guwahati, the case has taken another dramatic turn with the death of its principal accused, Ghanakanta Gogoi, during police firing in Assam’s Sivasagar district.

The 34-year-old was being transported from Guwahati to Sivasagar in connection with a separate criminal investigation when the incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, November 4.

According to police, Gogoi allegedly attempted to escape from custody and seize an officer’s service weapon, prompting another member of the escort team to open fire.

He sustained gunshot injuries and was taken to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Police Describe Events Leading to Firing

The incident took place at approximately 3:10 am in the Gaurisagar area of Sivasagar district, near Phulpanichiga.

Sivasagar Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Papori Chetia said Gogoi was travelling with a police escort when he requested permission to step out of the vehicle to relieve himself.

According to the SSP, Gogoi allegedly tried to take the service pistol of Sub-Inspector Debashish Sharma, who was accompanying the team as an investigating officer.

A physical struggle reportedly followed, during which several rounds were discharged from the firearm. Police said two bullets struck the vehicle.

The situation escalated when another officer accompanying the team fired his service weapon, reportedly to prevent further injury to the investigating officer.

Gogoi was struck by gunfire during the confrontation.

The circumstances surrounding the alleged attempt to seize the weapon have been described by police and remain subject to independent verification.

Police Officer Injured During Confrontation

Sub-Inspector Debashish Sharma sustained injuries during the struggle.

Reports citing the Sivasagar SSP said Sharma suffered an injury to his right leg. He was taken for medical treatment, with his condition subsequently described as stable.

Police maintained that the use of firearms followed the accused’s alleged attempt to overpower an investigating officer.

Gogoi was also taken to hospital after being shot but was declared dead on arrival, according to the police account.

Why Was Ghanakanta Gogoi Being Taken to Sivasagar?

Gogoi’s transfer was connected to a separate bank-fraud case registered in Sivasagar.

According to police, he was accused in a 2024 case involving an allegedly fraudulent loan obtained using forged documents.

The allegations concerned financing for the purchase of an excavator, reportedly through Punjab National Bank (PNB).

Investigators alleged that discrepancies were discovered in the documentation submitted for the loan, leading to a criminal complaint.

Police said Gogoi was linked to several other criminal cases.

Following proceedings in connection with the Guwahati hotel shooting, he had been sent to judicial custody on November 3.

Sivasagar Police subsequently secured his custody through legal proceedings in connection with the separate investigation.

It was during this transfer that the fatal police firing occurred.

Earlier Court Proceedings Raised Concerns About Custodial Safety

Gogoi’s death comes after his legal representatives had previously expressed concerns about his safety while in police custody.

During proceedings following his arrest in October, a Guwahati court imposed several conditions intended to ensure his protection.

These included regular medical examinations, safeguards against custodial mistreatment and the presence of a senior police officer during certain investigative procedures.

Additional security arrangements were also directed for operations conducted at night.

Those directions were issued during an earlier period of police custody. Whether they had any application to the subsequent transfer to Sivasagar requires separate examination.

The earlier concerns do not, by themselves, establish wrongdoing in the November 4 police firing.

Five People Were Killed in Hotel Bilas Inn Shooting

Gogoi had been arrested in connection with the October 26 shooting at Hotel Bilas Inn, located in Guwahati’s Bora Service area.

Five people died in the incident, while another sustained injuries.

The deceased were identified as:

• Helena Bharali, 58
• Bhudev Bharali, 65
• Debarshi Kashyap, 39
• Rinika Kashyap, 30
• Narayan Das, 48

Four of those killed belonged to the same family, while Narayan Das was associated with the family.

Satyendra Pathak survived the shooting but sustained injuries requiring hospital treatment.

Preliminary police investigations suggested that the violence arose from a disagreement concerning the lease and management of the hotel.

Gogoi, who had taken the property on lease, allegedly became involved in a dispute with the owners over the operation of the establishment.

Police arrested him shortly after the shooting and recovered a firearm believed to have been used in the incident.

Special Investigation Team Had Reconstructed Hotel Shooting

Following the October 26 killings, Guwahati Police constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

As part of its investigation, the team carried out a reconstruction at Hotel Bilas Inn on November 2.

Investigators used dummy figures and a replica firearm to examine the positions of those involved and reconstruct the reported sequence of events.

The exercise was intended to compare the account of the shooting with evidence collected from the premises.

The investigation also examined the ownership dispute, the firearm used in the attack and other circumstances surrounding the killings.

Death of Accused Adds New Dimension to Case

The death of the principal accused has introduced a significant development in the Hotel Bilas Inn case, which had already attracted widespread attention across Assam.

While police have attributed the fatal shooting in Sivasagar to an alleged attempt to escape and seize an officer’s weapon, the precise sequence of events will depend on the examination of available evidence and any subsequent official findings.

The original hotel shooting investigation had already resulted in the deaths of five people and left another injured. Gogoi’s death now adds a separate incident requiring its own scrutiny.

Further information regarding the circumstances of the police firing and the status of the related investigations was awaited at the time of reporting.

This report is based on police statements reported by established news organisations and earlier coverage of the Hotel Bilas Inn shooting. Allegations concerning the deceased have not been established by a court verdict.