Guwahati, Feb. 25: Police today arrested five persons, including Hariprasanna Hazarika and his personal security officer (PSO) Pankaj Arandhora, on charges of gunning down two persons at a rented flat at Mathuranagar here yesterday.

The policemen investigating the case said business rivalry could be the cause of the incident.

All the five persons have been taken into four days’ of custody for subsequent interrogation.

“Facts collected so far suggest that business rivalry could have led to the shooting but we will be able to ascertain the exact cause of the incident after thorough investigation,” a senior city police officer said.

Hazarika, a young businessman from Sivasagar and his PSO gunned down two youths —Himangshu Gogoi, 28 and Mrinanga Hazarika, 27 — who allegedly came to attack him at his rented house.

The police found the bullet-riddled bodies of the two outside the door of the flat.

The three other arrested persons were Hariprasana’s friend Amit Kumar, relative Ritupan Hazarika and his driver Dilip Hazarika.

Hariprasanna, who was injured in his left hand, is undergoing treatment in a private hospital.

A woman, Sona Hazarika, who was also detained with the five, was released after questioning, as the police found no proof of her involvement in the incident.

The police seized arms belonging to Hazarika and his PSO, a constable with Assam police’s armed branch.

Investigations revealed that the six persons were staying at the house on Wednesday night and the two persons came to visit him.

“It is certain that the two youths who were killed had come from outside but we are probing if they had come to attack Hazarika as claimed by him,” said a police source.