July 9: The Paro District Court has sentenced seven people to life imprisonment in connection with the vandalism of the Shera Dra-gu Lhakhang in Paro and several other chortens and houses in Paro. The verdict was passed yesterday.

According to the verdict the seven people were divided into two groups. The first one was led by Haap Tshering a resident of Paro who was the mastermind behind the vandalism of at least three temples including the Shera Dra-gu Lhakhang in Dotey geog and a few private homes in Paro.

They had stolen several nangtens and ku sung thuktens. The first group comprised of Shiva Dungyel from Samtse and Saran Kumar Chettri from Tsirang.

The mastermind Haap Tshering was selling the nangtens to a businessman man named Chimi Dorji who was running a handicraft shop in Paro. They were in this business for the last three years. The court has sentenced all three to life imprisonment.

The court sentenced the businessman to four and half years in prison for aiding the criminals by purchasing and selling the stolen sacred relics.

The court also sentenced the caretaker of the of Shera Dra-gu Lhakhang for not reporting the robbery and vandalism earlier. The caretaker an ex-convict received a nine year prison sentence.

The second team led by Sangay Tenpa from Paro, collaborated with three other criminals namely Lobzang Dorji, Chimi Rinzin and Sangay Wangdi. All three are from Samdrup Jongkhar.

According to the court verdict, this group was also involved in vandalism of the of the Shera Dra-gu Lhakhang. They were also involved in the vandalism of the kumba chorten and two other chortens in Wangchang geog in Paro.

They were also found guilty of selling an eleven inch Buddha statue and Phurba, a ritual dagger, in Kalimpong which the Royal Bhutan Police have recovered. They were also sentenced to life imprisonment as per the Bhutan Penal Code.

Another ex-convict Lhaba Tshering who was also found aiding the criminals received a five year prison sentence.

The Shera Dra-gu Lhakhang in Dotey geog in Paro was vandalized in February this year.