Guwahati hotel shooting: Meta smart glasses worn by accused may offer clues to fatal attack

The fatal shooting at Hotel Bilas Inn in Guwahati’s Bora Service area has taken a new turn with reports that the accused, Ghanakanta Gogoi, was wearing camera-equipped Meta smart glasses that may have recorded events surrounding the incident. The footage, if recovered and verified, could provide investigators with additional material to reconstruct the sequence of events.

Five people, including four members of the same family, were killed and another person was injured in the shooting at around 9 pm on October 26. Police have arrested Gogoi and seized the .32-calibre pistol allegedly used in the attack, Guwahati Police Commissioner Partha Sarathi Mahanta said.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the shooting was linked to a property dispute involving the lease agreement of Hotel Bilas Inn. Gogoi had taken the hotel on lease around a year ago, and the agreement had reportedly expired. Discussions over its renewal are believed to have preceded the incident.

According to preliminary reports, a dispute broke out during the discussions. Gogoi had allegedly not paid rent for a year and had outstanding electricity dues, although police are investigating whether these alleged financial issues contributed to the shooting.

The victims have been identified as Helena Bharali, her son Debarshi Ishan Kashyap, Debarshi’s wife Rinika, Helena’s brother Bhudev Bharali, and Narayan Das, reportedly Bhudev’s caretaker. Four of the deceased belonged to the same family, while Das was from their village, Mahanta said.

The shooting left Debarshi and Rinika’s two children, a seven-year-old daughter and a two-year-old son, without their parents.

Satyendra Pathak, a driver, sustained gunshot injuries and is undergoing treatment at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH). Six people were injured in the firing, five of whom later died.

Mahanta said Gogoi was apprehended within an hour of the incident. He clarified that the accused was not a hired killer and was not related to the victims. Interrogation is underway, while scientific examination and further inquiries are being conducted to establish the sequence of events.

The reported presence of Meta smart glasses could become a significant line of inquiry if investigators confirm that the device recorded the confrontation. It remains unclear whether any footage has been recovered, what it contains or whether it captures the shooting itself. These details have not been independently confirmed.

Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack, including the expired lease, the renewal discussions and the events immediately preceding the firing. Further details are awaited as the investigation progresses.