Guwahati killings accused Ghanakanta Gogoi dies in police firing in Assam; officer injured

Guwahati: Ghanakanta Gogoi, who was accused of killing five people in Guwahati, died after police opened fire on him when he allegedly tried to snatch a police officer's service pistol while he was being transported in Assam's Sivasagar district.

The incident took place at around 3:10 am near Rongmon Dhaba at Phulpanisiga, under Gaurisagar police station, when a Sivasagar police team was bringing Gogoi from Guwahati in connection with a case registered at Sivasagar Sadar police station. Gogoi was accused in the October 26 shooting at a hotel in Guwahati's Ulubari area, in which five people were killed and another person was injured.

Sivasagar SSP, Papari Chetia, said Gogoi was an accused in a case involving an alleged PNB loan fraud. Police said Gogoi was wanted in six cases. He was allegedly trained in handling arms. During the journey, he asked the police whether he could use the washroom. He allegedly attempted to flee and tried to snatch a police officer's service revolver while going to the washroom.


A scuffle followed, during which three rounds were fired from the service revolver, Chetia said. One police officer sustained serious injuries. Gogoi also sustained bullet injuries and was taken to hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival, the SSP said.

Raijor Dal MLA Akhil Gogoi, who was travelling to his constituency Sivasagar, spoke to reporters at the site of the incident. "Ghanakanta was a professional killer. However, I don't support encounters. He had no right to live, but we would have preferred if he had faced justice through due process."

According to data placed before the assembly by CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, at least 72 people were killed and more than 220 injured in police action in the state between May 10, 2021, and February 23, 2025.