Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has called for an examination of the circumstances under which a gun licence was issued by the Nagaland government to Ghanakanta Gogoi, the accused in the October 26 shooting that killed five people in Guwahati.
Speaking to reporters, Sarma said the incident stemmed from a personal dispute and that the police had arrested the accused. He stressed that the licence was issued by Nagaland, not Assam, and said the circumstances surrounding its issuance needed to be examined, according to reports by Pratidin Time and India Today NE.
The shooting took place on October 26 during a dispute over the lease and management of Hotel Bilas Inn in Guwahati. Five people were killed, while a sixth person sustained gunshot injuries and was undergoing treatment at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).
According to India Today NE, the deceased included hotel owner Helen Bharali, her son Debarshi Kashyap, daughter-in-law Rinika Kashyap, Bhudev Bharali and Narayan Das. Preliminary investigations indicated that disagreements over the property’s management and facilities escalated during a meeting convened to resolve the dispute.
India Today NE reported that Gogoi was produced before a Kamrup (Metro) district court on October 27 and remanded to seven days of police custody. Police also seized the pistol allegedly used in the shooting.
A six-member Special Investigation Team has been constituted to investigate the case. Forensic teams have collected evidence from the scene, including empty cartridge cases and live .32-calibre cartridges, the report added.
Pratidin Time reported that Sarma said further action against the accused would proceed in accordance with the law.