Guwahati hotel shooting accused Ghanakanta Gogoi's wife surrenders before Dhemaji police

The wife of Ghanakanta Gogoi, the prime accused in the October 26 shooting at Guwahati's Hotel Bilas Inn that left five people dead, has surrendered before the Dhemaji Police, days after she went missing following the incident.

Jonmoni Gogoi had been absconding since the night of the shooting. Police had been searching for her, the couple's children and the cab driver who allegedly transported them after the incident. Investigators were also preparing to summon her for questioning to establish the sequence of events before and after the shooting.

Meanwhile, Ghanakanta Gogoi is being questioned daily by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) at Latasil Police Station. He is currently in seven-day police custody following his surrender before Basistha Police on the night of October 26.

During questioning, Gogoi reportedly told investigators that he opened fire in self-defence. Police are examining his claim as part of the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the killings and the financial and lease dispute allegedly behind the attack.

The investigation is focused on the circumstances that led to the shooting at Hotel Bilas Inn in Guwahati's Ulubari area, where five people, including the hotel's co-owners and their family members, were killed.

According to police, Gogoi had taken the hotel on a five-year lease in September 2025. The victims have been identified as co-owners Helena Bharali and her elder brother Bhudev Bharali, Helena's son Debarshi, her daughter-in-law Rinika, and hotel caretaker Narayan Das. Investigators suspect that a financial dispute between Gogoi and the hotel owners led to the shooting.

Separately, the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court has issued specific directions to police regarding Gogoi's treatment and safety during custody.

The court directed that if the accused is taken out for the discovery of evidence between sunset and sunrise, adequate police personnel must accompany him. It also made it mandatory for a Deputy Superintendent of Police-rank officer to be present during such proceedings.

The court further instructed police not to subject Gogoi to custodial torture and directed the investigating officer to ensure that he undergoes a medical examination every 24 hours during police remand.

Police have also been directed to provide him with basic necessities, including hygienic food and drinking water, and strictly follow the prescribed rules governing custodial detention.

Gogoi was arrested on October 26, several hours after the alleged shooting, and was remanded to seven days of police custody on October 27. The SIT is continuing its investigation into the killings, including the circumstances of the shooting and the alleged financial dispute.