The Office of Attorney General (OAG) charged the 11 men and a minor arrested in Mongar for choeten vandalism to the dzongkhag court on April 4.

The miscellaneous hearing was conducted for two days.

The OAG charged the 11 men and the minor for 105 cases of which 99 were choeten vandalism. The 12 were also charged for vandalising two lhakhangs, two burglaries and an auto stripping.

The 11 men and the minor, aged between 17 to 44, were charged for violating section 351 of the Bhutan Penal Code, which is an offence against the Ku, Sung, Thukten or Zung.

Of the 12, a 34-year-old man from Silambe gewog in Mongar was charged for vandalising 59 choetens and another man was charged for vandalising 29 choetens.

Officials from the OAG said the 12, in groups of five, planned and committed the crime since 1997 till last year.

Meanwhile, it was learnt that of 99 choetens, 25 choetens were vandalised in Silambi gewog in Mongar and the others in Tsakaling, Mongar and Drametse gewogs and in Lhuentse dzongkhag.

It was learnt that two of the suspects are still at large while one has died.

Tashi Phuntsho | Mongar