Crime: Almost a year after he was abducted, parents of the 14-year-old student in Chuzargang, Gelephu are still waiting for their son to return home.

The class IX student was abducted from Purano Basti on December 16 last year.

Two drivers, who went missing in September last year from Santipur, have also not returned.

The student’s father, TB Chhetri said that the kidnapers have not made any phone calls after the last one in December 2014. In his own capacity, he said, he asked his Indian friends to visit places such as Gosaigaon, Bagaigaon and Barabisa in search of his son.

“I did whatever I could to find my son and have been following up with police as well,” he said. “I and my wife have a strong hope that he is fine and would come back someday.”

While families of the two drivers could not be contacted, Gelephu police said all three abductees are yet to return. On December 17 last year, Gelephu police had identified three main suspects (Indian), who were later found to have abandoned their village along with their family.

On December 27, 2014, Gelephu police had detained another two non-Bhutanese for interrogation under charges of aiding and abetting to the student’s kidnapping. The investigation report was submitted to Office of the Attorney General (OAG) in Thimphu for prosecution.

However, on March 25 this year, the two detainees were released after the OAG refused to prosecute the case stating that the main suspects were still at large and also because of lack of substantial evidence.

“We’re in constant touch with Indian counterparts to trace the suspect’s whereabouts,” Gelephu police said.

Nirmala Pokhrel