The Bhutanese Leading the way.
An independent investigation team of the Royal Bhutan Police found that the 35-year-old man who died while still under police detention had committed suicide. The man was detained by police on April 20th after receiving a complaint of domestic violence lodged by the Tshogpa of Namchu village.
Dorokha police detained the deceased for battering his wife. The deceased who was kept in detention had committed suicide by hanging himself with his own shirt. During the incident the OC had gone to attend to another case.
At the time of incident, the police official on duty was in the kitchen to cook meals accompanied by other two detainees. When the police on duty found him hanging, they cut him down and gave him Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
They took the deceased to the BHU but after reaching the BHU, the medical staff found that the person was already brought dead. After conducting a preliminary investigation on the cause of death, the team found ligature marks around the neck of the deceased and all the other symptoms on the body indicated hanging as the cause of death.
However, the family of the deceased is blaming the police for using force on the deceased and having caused his death.
Upon further investigation by the police, it was found that the deceased was a habitual drinker and had suicidal tendencies. Police said that on April 20th, the deceased had tried to consume an insecticide (deltamethrin) and this charge was also collaborated by the statement of the deceased man’s elder brother.
In addition, the deceased was drunk when brought to the police station and was kept under detention so that he can be fit enough for questioning when he became sober. Along with the deceased, there were two other detainees and the two had gone to the kitchen with their official duty of cooking a meal.
At around 11:30 hrs, police duty found the deceased hanging from the lock up iron bar of window using his own polyester shirt. However, the police said that the case will be forwarded to the court of law if the family of the deceased is not satisfied with the result of the investigation conducted by the team.
Police also said that RBP HQ will be conducting a detailed enquiry into the case and will see if there are any lapses on the part of the OC. The OC has already been called to the HQ for the enquiry.
