GUWAHATI: The accused in the Guwahati hotel shooting case of October 26, who was sent to judicial custody by a court on Tuesday following end of his police custody, was killed in police firing while trying to escape police custody by snatching police weapon and opening firing at the police team, which was taking him to Sivasagar after arresting him in connection with a separate case registered in the Upper Assam district.




The 34-year-old accused businessman Ghanakanta Gogoi was arrested On October 26 night along with a licensed .32-bore pistol allegedly used in the shooting following his surrender at the Basistha Police Station, after he shot dead five persons including the owners of Hotel Bilas Inn on October 26.




Police said, Gogoi asked the escorting team to stop their vehicle near Fulpanisiga in Sivasagar district around 3 am, saying he wanted to use the toilet.




"He allegedly snatched the service pistol of sub-inspector Debasish Sarma and fired three rounds at the police team, injuring the officer," Sivasagar SSP Papori Chetia said.




She added that police subsequently resorted to open fire to save the sub-inspector and to prevent Gogoi from escaping. "He sustained bullet injuries and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed," the SSP said.




Gogoi was arrested after surrendering at Basistha police station in Guwahati, along with a licensed .32-bore pistol allegedly used in the October 26 shooting at Hotel Bilas Inn.




The shooting, allegedly triggered by a financial dispute between Gogoi and the Bharali family, which owned the hotel, left five people dead and one injured. Gogoi had taken the hotel on a five-year lease in September last year.




Those killed in the firing were hotel co-owners Bhudev Bharali, 65, and his sister Helena, 58, her son Debarshi Kashyap, 39, daughter-in-law Rinika Kashyap, 30, and family staffer Narayan Das, 48.




Satyendra Pathak, 43, the family's driver, sustained injuries and is undergoing treatment at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).




Notably, while remanding Gogoi to police custody on October 27, the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) court had issued specific safeguards regarding his movement and custodial treatment.




The court had directed that if Gogoi was taken out for the discovery of evidence between sunset and sunrise, he must be accompanied by adequate patrolling forces. It had also instructed that a deputy superintendent of police-rank officer accompany him during any such exercise.




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




After the completion of his police remand, Gogoi was produced before the CJM court on Tuesday and sent to judicial custody for 14 days. However, police subsequently took him into custody from jail in connection with the separate Sivasagar case.