IHCL Brings Gateway Brand to Siliguri as Mob Violence Raises Alarm Near the City
Siliguri, West Bengal's northern economic hub and the strategic gateway to the Northeastern states, featured in two contrasting stories during the first days of October 2026. The Indian Hotels Company Limited announced the signing of a new 125-room Gateway hotel in the city, representing a significant investment in Siliguri's growing hospitality market and confirming the city's emergence as a high-potential destination for both business and leisure travellers. The hotel will be developed in partnership with a reputed Siliguri-based business group with diversified interests across real estate, retail, and transportation. At the same time, a troubling incident of mob violence unfolded near the city, where two men were killed by a crowd acting on suspicions of cattle theft in the Naxalbari, Bagdogra, and Matigara areas adjacent to Siliguri. The killings underscored the challenge of preventing vigilante violence in a region where cattle smuggling is a communally charged and economically sensitive issue.
🏢 IHCL Signs 125-Room Gateway Hotel in Siliguri, Its 19th Property in West Bengal
India's largest hospitality company, the Indian Hotels Company Limited, announced the signing of a new Gateway-branded hotel in Siliguri, West Bengal, marking a significant expansion of the company's presence in the state. The greenfield project — Gateway Siliguri — will feature 125 rooms and suites designed to serve both business and leisure travellers visiting the region. The hotel's culinary offerings will include an all-day dining restaurant, a specialty restaurant, and a bar. Recreational facilities will include a swimming pool, a fully equipped gym, and a spa, while a banquet hall spanning more than 10,000 sq. ft., along with meeting rooms and pre-function spaces, will accommodate large corporate gatherings and celebrations. The project is being developed in partnership with Mr Pritam Agarwal and Mr Amit Bhansali, representing a Siliguri-based business group with interests across real estate, retail, and transportation. IHCL's Executive Vice President Ms Suma Venkatesh said Siliguri serves as the gateway to North Bengal, the Northeast, and Bhutan, and that its strategic location and growing economic activity make it a high-potential hospitality market aligned with the company's strategy of expanding in emerging growth centres. Known for its access to the iconic Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the Coronation Bridge, and the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary, Siliguri is an increasingly popular base for tourists. With this signing, IHCL will have 19 hotels across West Bengal, including 11 currently under development. [3]
Two Men Killed in Mob Attack Near Siliguri Over Suspicion of Cattle Smuggling
Two men were killed and two others injured in a mob attack near Siliguri, West Bengal, after local residents accused them of involvement in cattle smuggling, according to reports from the New Indian Express dated October 3, 2026. The violent incident unfolded near the Naxalbari, Bagdogra, and Matigara areas adjacent to Siliguri — areas where tensions over cattle smuggling had been simmering. Locals claimed that cattle had been transported through trucks in the area over several days prior to the attack, fuelling community anger that ultimately escalated into lethal mob violence. The two men were attacked and killed by a crowd without any formal legal proceedings or verification of the allegations against them. The killings drew sharp criticism from civil society organisations and law enforcement, who warned that mob justice poses a grave threat to the rule of law and community harmony. Authorities were alerted to the situation and police personnel were dispatched to restore order, investigate the deaths, and identify the individuals responsible for the mob attack. The incident reflects broader anxieties across parts of Bengal and the Northeast about cattle trade, which intersects with communal sensitivities and cross-border commerce. Rights groups and local leaders called for calm, urging residents to report suspected illegal activity to law enforcement rather than taking matters into their own hands, and for authorities to provide visible policing along the routes used by cattle traders near Siliguri. [4]
Sources: [3] The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) · [4] The New Indian Express