Police file suo motu case over assault of woman at Guwahati nightclub; seven arrested

Seven people, including the manager of a nightclub, were arrested on Saturday, October 3, 2026, after a woman was “partially stripped and assaulted” by bouncers following a drunken brawl at a Guwahati bar a day earlier, police said. The arrests followed the registration of a suo motu case and the launch of an investigation after a video of the alleged assault at a nightclub in the Khanapara area went viral on social media.

Arrests after viral video surfaces

Police said those arrested are aged between 21 and 30 and include three women. Among those held are the nightclub’s manager, its event manager and a front office executive. Officers are also examining the club’s operations after reports that it was open well beyond the permitted closing time of 12:30 a.m.

What investigators say the CCTV shows

Guwahati East Deputy Police Commissioner Tabu Ram Pegu said that upon receiving information about the incident, police conducted an inquiry and reviewed available CCTV footage.

“The footage revealed that the victim was assaulted inside the bar by a group of people at around 2:30 a.m. Thereafter, she was dragged towards the basement by pulling her hair and clothes, where she was again assaulted and appeared to become semi-conscious,” Pegu said.

He added that several of those allegedly involved in the incident were associated with the bar or were members of its staff, and that the establishment’s management did not alert the local police station.

Suo motu case and scope of the probe

“Accordingly, a suo motu case was registered at the Dispur police station, and an investigation has been taken up. Seven people have been arrested so far,” the DCP said.

Pegu noted that investigators are scrutinising the complete sequence of events, the role of each person involved, the club’s operation beyond the permitted closing time, and any additional violations that may emerge during the investigation.

Club hours under scrutiny

Police said they are specifically looking into how the nightclub, identified as ‘The Locals’, continued operating well past the 12:30 a.m. deadline. The alleged assault occurred around 2:30 a.m., according to the CCTV timeline cited by police.

Eyewitness account and online video

A video of the incident that surfaced online purportedly shows the woman being beaten while lying on the floor of a building’s parking area. Another woman is later seen attempting to help her. PTI said it could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.

A security guard working at the building that houses the club claimed that the woman had struck a female bouncer with a beer bottle inside the premises. “This angered other bouncers there, and they brought her downstairs and assaulted her,” he alleged.

Next steps

Police said the investigation is ongoing, with a focus on identifying all individuals involved, establishing the sequence of events from inside the bar to the basement, and determining whether the establishment committed licensing or operational violations. Further action will be taken based on the findings, officers said.

The case has drawn attention to enforcement of closing-time regulations for nightlife venues in Guwahati and the responsibilities of establishments to promptly inform authorities when serious incidents occur on their premises.