A love affair beyond the border was cut short when police in Gelegphu apprehended the couple who were planning to spend their night in a hotel after dodging the patrol teams along the border.
A 30-year-old Indian woman from Saralpara in Assam crossed the border illegally and entered in the country, towards in the evening yesterday, from a point near the forest nursery farm located between Shompangkha point of entry (POE) and Sawalay POE in Sarpang to meet her Bhutanese lover.
The 31-year-old man from Risoomgang under Shompangkha Gewog took a taxi from Chhoekhorling under Dekiling Gewog to pick up the woman from Dargyethang under Shompangkha Gewog in Sarpang. He was able to bring in the woman to Gelegphu town.
However, an eyewitness from Sarpang informed the police about the trespassing of the Indian woman into the country. The registration number of the taxi was given to the police. Police intercepted the taxi at Jigmiling while he was returning after dropping the couple at Gelegphu. The driver confessed to going on hire with a man to pick up a woman from Shompangkha for Nu 500.
The Joint team of police and COVID-19 task force in Gelegphu began the manhunt for the couple in the town. The team searched all the hotels and at around 8 pm they managed to locate them from a hotel. Police sent back the woman to her village after she was tested for COVID-19. She tested negative.
Police Superintendent of Gelephu said the taxi driver and the 31-year-old man will be quarantined for 21 days as mandated by the standard operating procedure for coming into contact with a foreigner. They will also have to bear the cost of quarantine and any additional expenses. The case will also be forwarded to the court after the quarantine period.
Karma Wangdi
