Guwahati police are investigating a deadly shooting that left five people dead near a hotel in the city on Monday night. The firing took place at around 9 pm near Hotel Bilas Inn in the Bora Service area, and one more person was injured. The man accused of opening fire was caught within an hour, police said.

What happened near Hotel Bilas Inn

Six people sustained gunshot injuries in the firing, Guwahati Commissioner of Police Partha Sarathi Mahanta said. Five of them died from their injuries, while the sixth person is undergoing treatment. The incident took place at around 9 pm on Monday in the Bora Service area, in Guwahati's Ulubari area. Police reached the spot soon after receiving information and began an investigation.

Accused arrested, weapon seized

The accused has been identified as Ghanakanta Gogoi. Police apprehended him within an hour of the attack, Mahanta said. The weapon used in the firing has also been seized. Further questioning of the accused is part of the ongoing investigation.

Property dispute suspected

Preliminary investigation suggests the shooting arose from a property dispute linked to the lease agreement of Hotel Bilas Inn. Mahanta said the accused had leased the hotel. He added that the investigation is still at a preliminary stage and the full circumstances are yet to be established.

Four victims from same family

Four of the five people who died belonged to the same family, according to the police commissioner. The fifth person who died was from their village. The injured person is also from the same village, Mahanta said.

Hospital shares details of dead and injured

Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) received information about the incident between 9 pm and 9:30 pm, said Professor (Dr) Babul Kumar Bezbaruah, Principal-cum-Chief Superintendent (in-charge) of the hospital. One person, Narayan Das, aged around 48, was brought dead. He had a gunshot injury on his lip, and the bullet appears to have entered his body with no exit wound, Bezbaruah said. The injured person, Satyendra Pathak, aged 42, has a through-and-through gunshot wound with both entry and exit points. He is stable and is receiving treatment from the Orthopaedics and Surgery departments at GMCH.

Scientific investigation underway

Mahanta said a scientific and thorough investigation is in progress to bring the case to its logical conclusion. Police said further updates will be shared as more information becomes available.