The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The former Dorji Lopen Yonten Gyeltshen (89) died after receiving blunt force injuries on his head by an assailant as per an official report. The crime was reported on the morning of 3rd July 2025 but forensics shows the estimated time of occurrence at around 10.20 pm of 2nd July 2025.
The crime occurred in the Nalendra Monastery inside the former Dorji Lopen’s meditative residence at Talo.
According to a senior monk there, the deceased former Dorji Lopen, was to travel to Nubgang to perform Namgay Tongchay. A monk, sent by a Lam of Nubgang, arrived to accompany him.
After receiving no response despite repeated knocks on the door of the deceased, the monk met a senior monk and both attempted to make contact and knocked on the door. The monk climbed a ladder and looked through the glass bedroom window where he saw the deceased.
They immediately informed another senior monk who rushed to the scene with a few other monks.
As both doors were latched from inside, the monk entered through the bedroom window, opened the front door from inside and allowed others to enter.
Under the instruction of the senior monk, four monks then moved the body towards the window in the waiting room. They attempted to clean the area using the deceased’s shamthoe, including washing the floor, which unintentionally led to the disturbance of critical forensic evidence, including bloodstains at the scene.
On receiving information regarding the demise of the former Dorji Lopen a team from the Punakha police station proceeded to the location.
RBP headquarters was informed and, accordingly, the headquarters sent a Special Investigation Team (SIT) along with forensic and canine team to assist with the investigation.
The investigation team found that the crime scene was already disturbed. The body was found to have been moved from the original place and the blood strains from the crime scene was found washed and cleaned prior to the arrival of the investigation team.
The investigation team retrieved the CCTV footage from the crime scene to narrow down the suspect.
The CCTV footage showed the suspect entering the bedroom of the deceased and ransacking the items.
A blood stained iron rod wrapped in a yellow cloth was captured in the footage indicating the time and date of murder as 2nd July at 10.20 pm.
All check posts and stations were alerted to check the movement of the suspect.
Despite the contamination, the forensic team carefully processed the scene and successfully collected 14 items of forensic interest. Relevant CCTV footage was also reviewed and secured.
While this report will not go into the details of the injuries on the body and head, it can suffice to say that official conclusion as the cause of death was head injury due to multiple blunt force trauma.
The SIT gathered the monks for a briefing and to show the CCTV footage of the suspect. Few monks could identify the suspect as a 20-year-old male (an ex-monk).
Following the lead, the SIT and the OC planned the course of the search operation with the help of two monks to identify the suspect’s place.
The team then went to the suspect’s residence in Lobesa and located the suspect’s brother who positively identified the person on the CCTV as his younger brother. With his help, the suspect’s CID and mobile number were known. The team found the suspect to be in Paro near Jangsa, and accordingly Paro police was tasked to locate the suspect who was subsequently arrested. Later, the suspect was taken to police station where he confessed to the crime.
The police recovered a watch, mobile phone and cash from the suspect.
The SIT team seized the blood stained clothes including a T-shirt and pants along with the suspect’s shoes from his house.
The suspect already had a criminal record of larceny (theft) serving two years in prison from December 2023 to May 2025.
According to the police, the main motive was theft.
The former Dorji Lopen was 89 years old and had served as the Drabi Lopen from 1989 for eight years and then in 1999 he was appointed as the Dorji Lopen for a term of three years.
Before that he was the Dratshang’s representative and served in the Lodroe Tshogde (Royal Advisory Council) for 10 years.
As per records, the Late Dorji Lopen was born on 30th August 1935.
