Guwahati, Nov 6 Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said the death of Guwahati hotel firing accused Ghanakanta Gogoi in police firing was an “unfortunate incident and not an encounter killing”, and pointed out that a magisterial inquiry into it has been ordered.
While the families of the hotel firing victims had described Gogoi’s death as “god’s justice”, opposition parties maintained that criminals should be brought to justice through legal process and expressed apprehension that he might be only a small part of a larger land mafia network.
Under fire for the death, Chief Minister Sarma said, “Gogoi’s death is an unfortunate incident and not an encounter. He was accused of killing five people and tried to escape custody by snatching a police personnel’s weapon.”
“Police retaliated, leading to his death. It is unfortunate and not a rule,” he said.
Pointing out that a magisterial inquiry has already been ordered into the accused’s death and necessary steps were being taken, Sarma said, “We want the rule of law to be followed.”
Gogoi (34), the leaseholder of Guwahati’s Hotel Bilas Inn, fired on six people on the establishment’s premises on October 26 following an alleged dispute with the property’s owners. Five of those shot, including four members of the Bharali family who owned the hotel, died.
The accused was arrested soon after the incident, and a licensed pistol allegedly used in the crime was seized from his possession. Sent to judicial custody on Tuesday after his seven-day police remand ended, Gogoi was placed under arrest the same day in connection with a 2024 bank fraud case.
He was being taken to Sivasagar early on Wednesday for investigation into the fraud case when he allegedly attempted to escape by snatching the service weapon of the investigating officer and was shot dead, police said.
Assam Police formed a six-member Special Investigating Team (SIT) to probe into the hotel firing incident.
(PTI News)
