Chencho Dema

Police in Wangdue arrested a 44-year-old man who allegedly stabbed his friend, 39-years old to death, following an argument on the night of January 17. 

It was reported that the accused was under the influence of alcohol. 

The deceased and the suspect were friends and had been drinking after work in one of the bars in Bjakha village in Kazhi Gewog. 

The deceased accompanied the suspect to his house to spend the night. The suspect, the deceased, and the suspect’s wife were sleeping in the same room when an argument suddenly broke out between the deceased and the suspect.

During the argument, the suspect pulled out his dagger and stabbed the deceased in the left navel. The deceased’s son informed the police about the incident and after the police arrived, the deceased was taken to the emergency room of Wangdue Hospital. He was referred to the Thimphu National Referral hospital the following day. 

However, on January 20, the deceased succumbed to his injuries. The body of the deceased was handed over to the family members.

Meanwhile, the police said that the cause of death was yet to be confirmed as they were awaiting the result of the post-mortem to confirm the cause of death.

The deceased hailed from Phangyuel gewog and was a farmer by profession. The suspect is also a farmer from Kazhi gewog.

According to the police, both the suspect and the deceased were chronic alcoholics. The police could not find the dagger but only the sheath of the dagger.

When the case was reported to police, the suspect was initially charged with battery, but now that the victim dead, he was being charged with involuntary manslaughter.

According to the Penal Code of Bhutan, the offence of involuntary manslaughter is a felony of fourth degree and the person shall be sentenced from three years to five years imprisonment.