A critical breakthrough has emerged in the ongoing probe into the October 26 mass shooting at Hotel Bilas Inn in Guwahati's Ulubari district. Jonmoni Gogoi, the wife of prime suspect Ghanakanta Gogoi, has surrendered before the police in Dhemaji after evading authorities for several days following the lethal encounter that left five people dead.
Search Ends as Jonmoni Gogoi Turns Herself In
Jonmoni Gogoi had been untraceable since the violent altercation erupted on that fateful night. Law enforcement personnel had initiated an extensive search operation to locate her, the couple's children, and the commercial cab driver who reportedly drove them away from the scene after the bloodshed. Detectives had been preparing summons for her questioning, seeing her account as essential to reconstructing the minute-by-minute timeline preceding and following the homicides.
SIT Intensifies Interrogation at Latasil Police Station
Concurrently, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) is subjecting Ghanakanta Gogoi to daily grilling sessions at the Latasil police facility. The accused had surrendered before the Basistha police station on the night of October 26 itself, shortly after the shooting took place. Following his formal arrest, he was placed on a seven-day police remand on October 27, granting detectives an extended window to unravel the motive and operational details.
Self-Defence Claim Confronted by Financial Conflict Theories
In his statements to interrogators, Gogoi asserted that he discharged his firearm purely in self-defence during the confrontation. Officers are thoroughly scrutinizing this explanation against ballistic evidence and witness accounts while focusing on a deep-seated financial discord. Records indicate that Gogoi had acquired Hotel Bilas Inn on a five-year operational lease back in September 2025. Disagreements regarding lease terms and pending monetary obligations between the lessee and the property owners are suspected to have escalated into the lethal gunfire.
Five Fatalities Identified at the Ulubari Establishment
The violent burst inside the Ulubari hotel wiped out five lives, devastating the proprietary family and their domestic staff. The deceased have been identified as co-owners Helena Bharali and her elder brother Bhudev Bharali, alongside Helena's son Debarshi, her daughter-in-law Rinika, and hotel caretaker Narayan Das. The brutal elimination of four family members and a long-time employee triggered widespread shock across Assam.
Judicial Directives Mandate Strict Safeguards During Remand
Addressing potential risks during detention, the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court issued explicit procedural guidelines to ensure the safety and lawful treatment of Ghanakanta Gogoi while under police custody. The magistrate directed that adequate armed personnel must flank the accused whenever he is transported between dusk and dawn for crime scene reconstructions or weapon and evidence recoveries. Furthermore, an officer holding the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police must personally supervise any such overnight outings.
The judiciary also strictly banned any form of custodial torture, mandating that the lead investigating officer arrange a comprehensive medical check-up for Gogoi every 24 hours throughout his remand tenure. Police authorities were further reminded to supply standard basic necessities, including clean drinking water and sanitary food, in uncompromising compliance with the statutory rules governing lawful detention.
