Barpeta (Assam), Nov 4 (PTI) Families of the victims of the Guwahati hotel firing incident on Wednesday described the death of the prime accused in police firing while allegedly attempting to escape from custody as "God's justice", saying the souls of the deceased would now find peace.
They also heaved a sigh of relief, saying they had feared that the accused could target them if he managed to walk free.
Ghanakanta Gogoi (34) was killed in police firing in Assam's Sivasagar district early Wednesday while allegedly attempting to escape from custody, a senior police officer said.
Gogoi, the leaseholder of Guwahati's Hotel Bilas Inn, had opened fire on six people inside the hotel premises on October 26 following a purported dispute with the property's owners.
Five of those shot, including four members of the family that owned the hotel, were killed.
Gogoi was arrested soon after the incident, and a licensed .32-bore pistol allegedly used in the crime was seized from his possession.
The deceased were identified as Bhudev Bharali (65), his sister Helena (58), her son Debarshi Kashyap (39) and daughter-in-law Rinika Kashyap (30), and family staffer Narayan Das (48).
A driver of the Bharali family, Satyendra Pathak (43), was also injured in the shooting.
Sivasagar police arrested Gogoi in connection with a 2024 bank fraud case on Tuesday, hours after a Guwahati court remanded him to jail following the completion of his seven-day police remand in the hotel firing case.
He was being taken to Sivasagar for further investigation, officials said.
Speaking to reporters at their residence here, the elderly mother of Bhudev and Helena Bharali said, "Their souls will find peace now. As their family, we will also find some peace. I want to thank the Almighty for giving us this justice. I had my belief in God that justice would be done."
Bhudev Bharali's daughter also thanked the people of Assam for standing by the family during the difficult period.
"We are grateful to the people of Assam for their support and solidarity. Even in this time of sorrow, the news of the accused's death has given us some peace. God has given us justice," she said.
Another family member said there was now a sense of relief as they were afraid that Gogoi could target them further if he remained alive or managed to walk free later.
The mother of Pathak, the lone survivor of the hotel firing incident, said that with Gogoi's death, they were no longer afraid for the safety of her son.
"We were concerned about the safety of my son. Now with Gogoi dead, we are relieved to a great extent," she said.
