Five people died and one remains in critical condition after a man unleashed a .32-bore pistol inside Hotel Bilas Inn in Guwahati’s Bora Service area on Monday. The violence erupted over a property dispute, specifically a conflict between the hotel’s owner and the individual who held the lease. Police confirmed that the leaseholder was the shooter, targeting those associated with the ownership side of the business.
Police Commissioner Partha Sarathi Mahanta told PTI that six individuals sustained gunshot wounds in the incident. Of those, five succumbed to their injuries at the scene or shortly after. The sixth victim is currently undergoing treatment. Mahanta stated that all the deceased were linked to the hotel's ownership, while the accused, the leaseholder, acted alone in the initial firing.
Authorities have already moved to secure the scene and the evidence. A .32-bore licensed pistol used in the attack has been seized. One person has been arrested in connection with the crime. Interrogation is underway to determine the full sequence of events and whether others were involved in the planning or execution of the act.
The investigation is focusing on the lease agreement that triggered the confrontation. Preliminary findings indicate the dispute was rooted in the terms of the hotel's lease, a common flashpoint for violent escalation in commercial real estate disputes. The case has been registered, and further details on the timeline of the shootout are awaited as forensic teams process the site.