Crime: Police have arrested two suspects in relation to the vandalisation of five choetens in Tokshing village, Toetsho gewog in Trashiyangtse on Feburary 24.

The two suspects have confessed to the crime and have said that a third person is also involved. According to police, the two suspects in their statement had declared that a 33-year-old man from Dumang village had directed them to commit the crime.

On February 27 police caught the third suspect only for him to be released on a “surety”. Police said that the two suspects had revoked their statement and said that the 33-year-old man wasn’t involved in the crime. However, police said that the case is under investigation and if the third person is found guilty he will be rearrested.

Three Jangchub Choetens, one Choeten Dangrim and a Kadam Choeten were vandalized on February 23. Police said that the crime was reported by the gewog’s gup Dechen Wangdi. A woman in the village had reported to the gup about a vandalized Kadam Choeten near her house.

Police said that according to the woman, after seeing the choeten near her house completely demolished she followed the footprints at the site. The footprints ended near a house that she suspected to be of the vandals.

Inside the house there were only children at the time. She waited for the men to return and after awhile two drunken men entered the house. The man confessed to the women that the choetens were vandalized by them.

Upon interrogation the suspects confessed that they could take only one dzee or cat’s eye from the five vandalized chortens. Police said that the suspects are yet to produce the stolen item.

Police recovered two cat’s-eyes, a few pearls and coins including a timi and gaw from the two vandalized Jangchub Choetens.

All the five vandalized choetens were private choetens.

Younten Tshedup 

Advertisement