Staff reporter

Authorities have narrowed  down the search for the stolen statues from Lhading Goenpa in Paro to Nepal. The Royal Bhutan Police has notified the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) who assured help.

The two rare statues of Dorji Namjon and Dorji Chang were stolen from the 13th century Lhading Goenpa on August 5.

Kuensel sources said that it is confirmed that the two statues are in Nepal. An informer in Nepal has sent a picture of the Namjon statue, one of the two statues to police and others assisting the search. Slightly changed in colour, probably to make it look different, the statue is confirmed in Nepal. Kuensel sources said that Nepal police now know the exact location.

Paro police has written to the headquarters to send police officials to Kathmandu, Nepal.

Police had collected fingerprints, but were not readable as it was smudged. Forensic evidence was also collected for further investigation. So far no suspects have been arrested.

Meanwhile, those assisting to find the relics have come across two people speaking in  Tibetan in Nepal negotiating the price of the statues in the black market.

Although Kuensel could not verify if the conversation were about the two statues, the social media chats translated happened around the time when the statues were confirmed to be in Nepal.

In one conversation one claims that what he has is “… not something that has circulated and bought among merchants.” He also says that if it sold at  auction, it could get around 200,000,000 to 300,000,000 Chinese Yuan.