CM Himanta Biswa Sarma Calls Ghanakanta Gogoi’s Police Encounter Death ‘Unfortunate’, Orders Inquiry

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday described the death of Ghanakanta Gogoi in a police encounter as an unfortunate and unintended incident. He clarified that police had not deliberately killed Gogoi but allegedly opened fire in self-defence after he attempted to attack officers. Sarma stressed that delivering justice is the responsibility of the judiciary, not the police, and confirmed that a magisterial inquiry would be conducted into the incident.

Ghanakanta Gogoi, the prime accused in the October 26 Hotel Bilas Inn shooting in Guwahati that claimed five lives and injured another person, died in police firing in Sivasagar district around 3:10 AM on November 4. According to police, Gogoi allegedly attempted to escape custody and snatch an officer’s firearm while being transported for investigation in another case. The circumstances surrounding his death remain under scrutiny.