Chhimi Dema 

A 38-year-old man from Samtse was found stabbed in his apartment in Babesa, Thimphu yesterday. The deceased was stabbed in the chest.

The investigation is yet to ascertain the time of death and the murder weapon.

The deceased worked in a private company in Babesa.

A friend of the deceased came to check on him at around 9.45am after he did not turn up at work.

“The door was not locked,” the friend said.

The deceased lived with another friend, who as of yesterday was missing and is a prime suspect in the murder case. Police are searching for the suspect.

The friend said that it looked as if the deceased was sleeping. “I called his name but there was no response; he must have passed away long before I arrived.”

It seemed as if the deceased and the suspect were cooking a meal the previous night, the deceased’s friend said. “Vegetables were cut and kept ready to be cooked. Maybe a brawl started between the two.”

He immediately called the police.

Neighbours were startled when a group of policemen turned up and looked around the building with plastic bags. Soon an ambulance arrived.

Kuensel learnt that the deceased’s family were in Samtse. The deceased has a month-old child. In the past three years, Thimphu Police Station recorded 40 stabbing cases.