𝘼 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐭
A non-national girl, aged between 13 to 14-year-old, was reported to have committed suicide by hanging herself with a Khadhar (scarf) at Langjopakha in Thimphu on the evening of January 17. The deceased was found hanging inside the toilet.
deceased was living with a
77-year-old woman who had brought her from
Jaigaon, India about
The seven years back when the girl was
then about six to seven years old.
During the time of the incident, those
present in the house were the 77-year-old
elderly woman, her
college-going grandson who has been
living with her for the past two to three
months, while one of
her sons lived downstairs.
Investigation Officer Major Namgay
Rinchen said when they reached the site of
the incident, the body
was already brought down on the floor
with the scarf still wrapped around the
neck of the deceased.
During the investigation, it was revealed
that the body was found partially hanging
(a hanging in which
the feet touch the ground or any
underlying objects); the neck of the
deceased was tilted towards the
wall and an empty bucket were kept upside
down.
This bizarre scenario raised suspicion of
homicide, but the crime scene,
post-mortem, and the victim’s
characteristics were in favor of suicide,
said the Major.
“Foul play was ruled out,” he
added.
The statement recorded with the police
stated that on that fateful evening at
around 6:30 pm after an
early dinner, the deceased was asked to
go to the toilet to fill up the buckets as
the water was being
supplied on a timing basis. The elderly
woman was watching TV, whereas the
grandson was sleeping
in his room.
When the deceased did not come out of the
toilet, the woman went to check on her.
After knocking on
the toilet door several times and
receiving no response from inside, the
woman went to inform her
grandson. The grandson then kicked the
door only to find the girl hanging.
“The body was brought down after they cut
the scarf with a scissor. The grandson had
performed
CPR, but all in vain. Then the police
were informed about the incident,” the
Major said.
Dr. Norbu, JDWNRH’s Forensic Medical
Specialist said, “We determined the causes
of the death and
we concluded that the probable cause of
the death as of now is hanging. The
ligature mark on the
neck looks as if something hard or firm
had caused the death, but the mark looks
like it is caused by
hanging through the posture of the
body.”
Further, he said that they can’t also
rule out that such marks cannot be caused
by a Khadhar.
The doctor said that there was also an
old scar at the upper side of the back and
that they are not
able to comment on what had caused the
scar – whether it was caused by an
infection or it was a scar
caused during an assault. However, no
fresh marks were found on the body.
“We never said sexual abuse has been
ruled out, but at the same time, there is
no acute injury on the
body and no obvious injury in the hymen.
Penetrative sexual assault is unlikely,”
the doctor added.
Police also said that the deceased,
according to the 77-year-old woman, was
mischievous and
hyperactive. At times the deceased would
indulge in fights with other children in
the neighborhood.
According to Major Namgay Rinchen, the
elderly woman will be charged for the
trafficking of a child. An
the arrest was not made due to the
lockdown, her old age, and the woman had
some medical issues.
However, he said that she is kept under a
strong surety, whereby one of her sons was
kept as a
guarantor and she has to report to the
police station after the lockdown is
lifted.
According to section 227 of the Penal
Code of Bhutan, a defendant shall be
guilty of the offense of
trafficking of a child if the defendant
sells, buys, or transports a child for any
illegal purpose. It is a
third-degree felony with five to nine
years of imprisonment.
Meanwhile, nothing much is known about
the deceased, according to the
Major.
“We are yet to verify the deceased’s age,
but it is for sure she is below 15-years
and above 12-years.”
Meanwhile, the deceased was believed to
have been handed over to the 77-year-old
woman by an
An Indian man from whom the woman used to
buy goods then. As the woman had told the
man on
several occasions if it was possible for
him to find a girl who can work/babysit.
Then during one of her
visits to him, he had brought the girl
with him and was handed over to the
woman.
Further, it is being said that the
deceased’s mother was mentally ill and the
father was an alcoholic
who did not pay much attention to the
girl?
Chencho Dema from Punakha
deceased was living with a
77-year-old woman who had brought her from
Jaigaon, India about
The seven years back when the girl was
then about six to seven years old.
During the time of the incident, those
present in the house were the 77-year-old
elderly woman, her
college-going grandson who has been
living with her for the past two to three
months, while one of
her sons lived downstairs.
Investigation Officer Major Namgay
Rinchen said when they reached the site of
the incident, the body
was already brought down on the floor
with the scarf still wrapped around the
neck of the deceased.
During the investigation, it was revealed
that the body was found partially hanging
(a hanging in which
the feet touch the ground or any
underlying objects); the neck of the
deceased was tilted towards the
wall and an empty bucket were kept upside
down.
This bizarre scenario raised suspicion of
homicide, but the crime scene,
post-mortem, and the victim’s
characteristics were in favor of suicide,
said the Major.
“Foul play was ruled out,” he
added.
The statement recorded with the police
stated that on that fateful evening at
around 6:30 pm after an
early dinner, the deceased was asked to
go to the toilet to fill up the buckets as
the water was being
supplied on a timing basis. The elderly
woman was watching TV, whereas the
grandson was sleeping
in his room.
When the deceased did not come out of the
toilet, the woman went to check on her.
After knocking on
the toilet door several times and
receiving no response from inside, the
woman went to inform her
grandson. The grandson then kicked the
door only to find the girl hanging.
“The body was brought down after they cut
the scarf with a scissor. The grandson had
performed
CPR, but all in vain. Then the police
were informed about the incident,” the
Major said.
Dr. Norbu, JDWNRH’s Forensic Medical
Specialist said, “We determined the causes
of the death and
we concluded that the probable cause of
the death as of now is hanging. The
ligature mark on the
neck looks as if something hard or firm
had caused the death, but the mark looks
like it is caused by
hanging through the posture of the
body.”
Further, he said that they can’t also
rule out that such marks cannot be caused
by a Khadhar.
The doctor said that there was also an
old scar at the upper side of the back and
that they are not
able to comment on what had caused the
scar – whether it was caused by an
infection or it was a scar
caused during an assault. However, no
fresh marks were found on the body.
“We never said sexual abuse has been
ruled out, but at the same time, there is
no acute injury on the
body and no obvious injury in the hymen.
Penetrative sexual assault is unlikely,”
the doctor added.
Police also said that the deceased,
according to the 77-year-old woman, was
mischievous and
hyperactive. At times the deceased would
indulge in fights with other children in
the neighborhood.
According to Major Namgay Rinchen, the
elderly woman will be charged for the
trafficking of a child. An
the arrest was not made due to the
lockdown, her old age, and the woman had
some medical issues.
However, he said that she is kept under a
strong surety, whereby one of her sons was
kept as a
guarantor and she has to report to the
police station after the lockdown is
lifted.
According to section 227 of the Penal
Code of Bhutan, a defendant shall be
guilty of the offense of
trafficking of a child if the defendant
sells, buys, or transports a child for any
illegal purpose. It is a
third-degree felony with five to nine
years of imprisonment.
Meanwhile, nothing much is known about
the deceased, according to the
Major.
“We are yet to verify the deceased’s age,
but it is for sure she is below 15-years
and above 12-years.”
Meanwhile, the deceased was believed to
have been handed over to the 77-year-old
woman by an
An Indian man from whom the woman used to
buy goods then. As the woman had told the
man on
several occasions if it was possible for
him to find a girl who can work/babysit.
Then during one of her
visits to him, he had brought the girl
with him and was handed over to the
woman.
Further, it is being said that the
deceased’s mother was mentally ill and the
father was an alcoholic
who did not pay much attention to the
girl?
Chencho Dema from Punakha
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