Guwahati, April 13: In a chilling case of premeditated murder, Bongaigaon Police have arrested two individuals accused of killing a Bhutanese national, Tek Bahadur Ghalley, and dumping his body near the Aie River in Assam’s Bongaigaon district.
The arrests were made following an intense investigation that spanned multiple locations. Thenrap Lepcha was apprehended from Siliguri on April 10, while Krishna Prasad Adhikari was caught the next day in Dadgari. Police also recovered the victim’s missing vehicle, believed to be the motive behind the killing.
According to police reports, Ghalley, a Bhutanese resident, was murdered on March 26, a day before his body was discovered by locals along the riverbank. The suspects had hired Ghalley’s vehicle under the pretext of transporting a consignment, but during the trip near the Indo-Bhutan border, they allegedly attacked him with a stone, striking his head and killing him on the spot.
“The accused have confessed. They killed him by striking his head with a stone, dumped the body near the Aie River, and drove away with the vehicle,” said Bongaigaon DySP (HQ) Anupjyoti Bora.
Police believe the motive was robbery, and that the entire trip was a ruse to isolate the victim and steal his vehicle. The investigation also suggests the murder was carefully planned, and not a spontaneous act.
The incident has sparked concern over cross-border safety and targeting of foreign nationals. Ghalley’s family and Bhutanese authorities have been informed, and coordination is underway for further legal procedures.
