The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Narcotics, Drugs and Other Vices Division (NDOVD) of the Royal Bhutan Police
The Narcotics, Drugs and Other Vices Division (NDOVD) of the Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) said that they did not foresee the accident that led to the death of 33-year-old Biren Kumar Kafley, who was being escorted in a jail van during an ongoing drug investigation on 14th November 2025.
Police claimed that Biren tried to escape and fell out of the van hitting his head.
The death has led to the family asking for answers and evidence and it has also caused public outrage on the brain death followed by the death of Biren.
What happened that day
Police acknowledged that the deceased was not accompanied by police personnel at the back of the jail van. They said Biren had been fully cooperative throughout the investigation, which had led to the arrests of two more suppliers, and the team had not anticipated any attempt to escape.
According to NDOVD, Biren managed to open one side of his cuff, unlock the inner latch of the van door, then force open the main door before jumping out of the moving vehicle.
They added that Biren had one cuff hanging from his right wrist when found, suggesting he opened the left side himself. Because Biren was an ex-convict, police said he might have known techniques to loosen cuff mechanisms.
Police said the escort personnel heard some noise shortly before stopping the vehicle. When they discovered the door open and Biren missing, they immediately turned around and found three individuals had moved Biren to the roadside in an unconscious condition.
He was then taken to the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH).
Police have identified the three individuals who moved Biren off the road, and are still searching for the main eyewitness who allegedly saw him jump from the van and informed the three eyewitnesses about the possibility of a falling person from a moving van.
Biren’s wife questions the claim that he jumped, pointing out the lack of scratches or torn clothing typically expected from falling out of a moving vehicle.
She also noted that his pants were wet and bubbles were found on his shirt, details that trouble her.
Police said it was possible he fell in a way that caused a single fatal impact on his head without significant external abrasions, due to the force and angle of the fall.
The Bhutanese asked for access to the three eyewitnesses but the police said they did not want to talk to the paper.
The paper was given access to the outer part of the van which shows a handle and single rod latch. The police claim that Biren only need push the door from inside and since it was a single rod latch, it came open.
The paper asked for access inside the van to reenact his escape and test the theory, but the police did not give access inside the van area.
On the issue of his arrest without warrant police said that since it was a public holiday, they could not get any arrest warrant for the case.
As per section 165 of the Civil and Criminal Procedure Code of Bhutan, 2001 which is on arrest without warrant, Cognisable Offences states that a police officer may arrest without a warrant in a public place, if any person is reasonably believed to be, (e) dealing in harmful drugs.
Section 165.1 which states that the power of the arresting Police officer to enter a private dwelling to effect an arrest without warrant is limited to instances of immediate necessity or other exigent circumstances such as waiting for the suspect to exit the private dwelling is not appropriate.
The death certificate states the immediate cause of death as traumatic head injury from blunt trauma. The forensic report from JDWNRH is still pending.
RBP headquarters in Thimphu is now investigating the conduct of the NDOVD personnel involved in the escort. The findings, along with evidence and eyewitness accounts, will be forwarded to court upon completion.
Family’s Concerns Over Communication
The 19-year-old wife of deceased Biren said she visited the detention center on the night of 13th November with dinner and bedding, but she was not informed that her husband had tested positive for drug use, and he had confessed to consuming substances, or as a supplier to others.
She said that she was told only that his case would be followed up after the weekend once officers returned to work.
She said, “My husband looked fine when I met him that night. I was asked to go home and was told I would receive a call if he was released or kept in detention.”
NDOVD said that though the deceased had confessed and following which they asked her to drop the dinner and beddings, they did not inform her because the case was still under investigation and they were yet to arrest the supplier that Biren identified.
RBP said that the indirect message here was the fact that she was asked to get his beddings which means he would be kept longer.
The wife said that the following day, no call came from police. Instead, she received a call from a woman who told her that police had mistakenly believed she was the detainee’s wife. When she contacted police, she learned that her husband had been taken to the emergency ward.
She said, “I received a call from a woman who asked if I was the detainee’s wife. The woman (who the police contacted via mobile mistaking her as the detainee’s wife) told me that upon asking the police, they did not explain what had happened. I called the police and learned that my husband had been brought to the emergency ward.”
NDOVD said that the two police personnel who escorted her husband back to the detention center, given the seriousness of the incident had directly taken him to the emergency ward and had informed the division.
At the same time, the police personnel searched through the deceased’s phone to inform his family about the incident and upon finding the stranger’s number called her only to know she was not the wife.
Police said the wife who contacted them shortly after, was informed of the urgent situation, and was asked to come to the hospital immediately.
However, the wife said that later she learned her husband had reached the emergency ward around 1–2 pm on 14th November, but she was contacted only at 3:46 pm.
The wife also claimed she had been advised not to inform Biren’s parents about his arrest.
RBP denies this, saying that since she was his spouse and present during the arrest, they saw no need to directly inform other family members which would happen usually in cases where individuals were arrested independently, however, in his case he was arrested from his residence and in her presence.
The family also raised concerns about conflicting accounts from police, particularly differing explanations about whether Biren’s handcuffs were locked in front or behind, and confusion over whether he was being taken to arrest the supplier or to the court.
RBP said that 14th November was a national holiday and courts were closed.
Police said only the main duty personnel would know how the cuffs were locked, while others were only aware that he was cuffed.
Meanwhile, Biren’s family, currently in Tsirang conducting funeral rites, continues to seek clarity, including access to the post-mortem report and CCTV footage showing Biren’s condition before he was placed in the van and the location of the alleged jump.
Sequence of Arrests Leading up to the Death
According to NDOVD, the operation began around midnight on 12th November after an intel of a late-night drug activity in Changbangdhu, Thimphu.
During the operation, five individuals were apprehended. Of these, two suspects were detained for being in possession of narcotic substances, while the remaining three individuals, who tested positive for drug use, were referred to the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Treatment Center for necessary intervention.
On further interrogation, the arrested suspects Jigme Yoezer and Yeshi Gyeltshen disclosed that the substances had been supplied by Biren Kumar Kafley, 33, an electrician and repeat offender who previously served a five-year prison term (2018–2023) for drug trafficking.
Acting on this intelligence, NDOVD personnel carried out a follow-up raid the same night and arrested Biren Kumar Kafley from his residence in Jungshina. A search of his home revealed no drugs, but he was detained for interrogation.
During questioning, he admitted to having recently purchased a consignment of 10 boxes of SP+ capsules from an individual residing near Hotel Ariya.
On 14 November, at approximately 1125 hours, NDOVD officials escorted Biren Kumar Kafley to Olakha to identify the supplier. Upon arrival, he identified Tula Ram Bhujel, whose residence was located near Hotel Ariya, Olakha. Tula Ram was immediately apprehended. A search of his possession yielded SP+ capsules, confirming his involvement in the illegal distribution network.
Tula then identified his own supplier as Phurpa Dorji Tamang. Phurpa was arrested in possession of the capsules and confessed that he initially had 30 boxes of SP Plus, and that Tula had received 20 boxes over two separate transactions.
Police said that because the team needed to continue the trail, NDOVD’s jail van, with its driver and other police personnel was sent to handle the seized substances and escort Biren back to detention.
The initial team, along with Tula, proceeded to arrest Phurpa, who was also found in possession of capsules.
