Guwahati Hotel Shooting Suspect Killed During Police Custody Transfer

The primary suspect in the October 26 Guwahati hotel shooting, which claimed five lives, was killed during an alleged police encounter in Sivasagar. Authorities reported that 34-year-old Ghanakanta Gogoi died early Wednesday morning while being transported in connection with a separate 2024 bank fraud case.

According to police statements, the suspect asked to stop the vehicle to relieve himself, attacked the accompanying officers, and attempted to flee by grabbing an officer's service revolver. An officer subsequently used his service weapon after a scuffle that left one police personnel seriously injured.

Gogoi had initially been arrested shortly after the October shooting, which left five individuals dead—including a mother-son duo—and another person injured. A Special Investigation Team formed by the Assam Police previously determined that the shooting likely stemmed from a dispute over a lease agreement, renovation costs, and financial arrangements.

Legal representation for the suspect had previously expressed safety concerns, prompting a Guwahati court to mandate safeguards such as medical checkups. Gogoi's death marks the latest fatality in a long string of police encounters recorded in the state over recent years.