Guwahati: An eight-year-old child and an 18-month-old toddler lost both parents in the shooting at a Guwahati hotel on Monday evening that claimed five lives. Their grandfather, Dilip Bharali, has stepped forward to take responsibility for the siblings’ upbringing, education and future.The children’s parents, Rinika Bharali and Debarshi Bharali, were killed along with Debarshi’s mother, Helena Bharali, and uncle, Bhudev Bharali, at Hotel Bilas Inn in Ulubari, which is owned by the Bharalis. The accused, Ghanakanta Gogoi, allegedly shot them over a financial dispute. Gogoi had taken the hotel on lease from the Bharalis for five years in Sept last year.The bodies were taken to the family’s home at Issapurhati in Barpeta district on Tuesday evening after post-mortem examinations at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital. The last rites were performed later that night.Taking responsibility for the orphaned children, Dilip — Helena’s elder brother and their grandfather — said, “They have been orphaned. Now, being the eldest member of the Bharali family, it is my responsibility to take care of the children, their education and, overall, their future. There are family members from Rinika’s maternal side as well. We will all sit down and discuss what would be best for them.”Ron Singh, Rinika’s brother, who arrived at the Bharali family’s residence in Barpeta, condemned the incident. “It was a heinous crime. Any problem can be sorted out through talks. He should not have killed the people,” he said.Seeking justice, Singh said, “We demand the Assam govt to constitute a fast-track court for an expeditious trial of the case. There is nothing to delay in the case as it is a clear case of murder where Ghanakanta Gogoi opened fire at six persons, out of which five died. He was also arrested by the police within hours.”The chief judicial magistrate court, Kamrup (Metro), sent Gogoi to seven days’ police custody late on Tuesday evening. Police had sought 10 days’ custody.CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Wednesday that Gogoi’s arms licence had been issued by Nagaland, not Assam.
