Chencho Dema | Punakha

PUNAKHA — Punakha police have been investigating the puzzling case of a 25-year-old woman who vanished from Khuruthang on July 8, leaving behind a trail of intrigue and speculation.

The woman’s current whereabouts remain unknown, deepening concerns about her safety and well-being.

According to emerging reports, the missing woman was allegedly involved in an adulterous relationship with a businessman from Bajothang over the past few years. When the man’s wife became aware of the affair, it is said that she delivered threatening messages to the woman, though the exact content of their confrontation remains undisclosed.

On the day of her disappearance, the woman’s boyfriend reportedly picked her up from Bajothang and checked them into a hotel room in Khuruthang. He then left her there and returned to Bajothang, leaving the woman alone in the room.

As the investigation unfolds, it has come to light that the missing woman was employed as a salesperson at one shop at Bajothang, adding further complexity to the case.

Sources say that the woman’s last known location was near the Khuru Kuenphen Bridge, where a slipper believed to belong to her was later found.

In a distressing voice message sent to a friend just before her disappearance, the woman claimed that the wife of her lover had issued threats against her life and expressed her intention to end her own.

Tragically, the woman’s phone, which might hold vital clues to her disappearance, is still missing. Its last known position was reportedly in the vicinity of the Mochhu parking lot next to the Punakha Dzong, adding more questions to an already perplexing situation.

The community has been inundated with various speculations, ranging from the possibility of the woman jumping off the bridge to potential foul play. In response, authorities have deployed a rescue team to scour the area around the bridge, should any evidence emerge pointing to a possible suicide.

Police have taken the husband and wife for questioning and subsequently released them on surety. Additionally, the woman’s guardians and friends have also been called in for questioning as part of the ongoing investigation.

As the days tick on, Punakha police continue their search for the missing woman, hoping to bring resolution to a case that has gripped the community with concern and uncertainty.