The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) on 19th January 2026 forwarded the Paro stabbing case to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) for prosecution.
Following a review by the OAG’s prosecution team, the case will be charge-sheeted and submitted to court.
An OAG team is currently in Paro to discuss the case and conduct crime scene reconstruction, a procedural step aimed at strengthening the prosecution’s case.
As per the OAG, Paro Police have forwarded more than 14 individuals involved in the incident for prosecution.
However, police clarified that some of the individuals implicated in the Paro stabbing are also involved in an alleged battery case in Thimphu. That case is being investigated separately by Thimphu Police and will be forwarded independently once the investigation is completed.
Background
The Paro stabbing incident followed a series of altercations on the night of 7 December 2025, beginning with a confrontation at a club in Paro. The situation later escalated into a violent attack in town, leaving a 25-year-old man with multiple stab wounds to his head, hands, and leg.
The case drew widespread attention after videos circulated on social media, particularly because members of the rapper group Smogs, including 19-year-old rapper Cutie, were involved. Several suspects were detained, with some released on bail, while a key suspect, 20-year-old Kelden, also known as Gunda Kelden, remains in custody.
In an earlier statement, the victim denied involvement in the initial altercation and said the attack came as a surprise. He said he had attended a collaborative music show and remained uninvolved in the dispute. He recalled greeting Cutie briefly and later witnessing a fight between local youths and Kelden, during which he tried to calm the situation.
He said he advised Cutie to take Kelden away, as tensions were rising. However, Cutie’s mother later claimed that the victim had grabbed her son’s collar and warned him to stay away, a claim the victim denied.
After Cutie announced the victim’s name over the microphone, he felt wronged and left the club. Outside, he contacted Cutie and was later told that police had arrived. Believing the issue was resolved, he went briefly to another club before heading home.
While walking to his bike with a friend, the victim said they were ambushed by a group. He ran for help but was caught and attacked. He alleged that Kelden and Cutie stabbed him while others threw stones.
Following his second surgery, the victim confronted the suspects in police presence. He said Kelden admitted responsibility, while Cutie denied stabbing him. Cutie’s mother said her son claimed he had intervened to stop the attack.
Police have also linked the incident to a separate battery case in Thimphu involving some of the same individuals.
