One of the accused was apprehended in Bengaluru, and the rest were arrested from various parts of state over the last few days, a senior police officer stated.
Addressing a press conference here, Guwahati Commissioner of Police Diganta Barah said that the case pertained to the murder of Ajit Chetia, a retired person of about 60 years of age, whose body was recovered from his residence in Jalukbari area on April 10 last year.
"Unable to reach him over phone, his wife had alerted their neighbours on the morning of April 10. The neighbours had found the locks of the gate and door broken and his body lying on the bed with head injuries," Barah said, giving details of the incident.
Preliminary investigation had led the police to suspect it to be a case of dacoity as the house was found ransacked, but not much headway could be made at that point of time.
"During a recent review of unsolved cases in the city, this case was taken up again and a special team of Crime Branch formed to deal with it. After re-analysing the evidence, we zeroed in on a suspect who was traced to Bengaluru," Barah said.
Identified as Saidur Rahman, the suspect was working as a driver in a private company in the southern city and, with help of the local police, the team of special branch detained him.
During spot interrogation, he confessed to the crime and was arrested and brought here on February 25, the CP said.
Based on the information extracted from Saidur, his three other accomplices Surat Jamal and two brothers Abdul Rashid and Rafiqul Islam -- all from Barpeta district, were identified and arrested.
Of these, Rafiqul is currently lodged in Guwahati central jail in connection with another case, Barah said.
A fifth person, Dilbar Khan, who owns a jewellery shop in the city, has also been arrested for buying the stolen ornaments from the dacoits, he added.
The officer said the modus operandi of the four accused was to survey houses and target people as per convenience.
"After the crime, they would distribute the loot among themselves and then move on with their other activities. We have also recovered some of the stolen gold ornaments from their families, too," Barah added. Guwahati, March 3 (PTI)