On Friday, Punakha Police released two men on surety due to the pandemic situation in the district. Police arrested them on Thursday for allegedly breaching the COVID-19 protocols. They had walked to Punakha from Thimphu last month during the lockdown. Both of them tested negative for COVID.
The men are from Kabisa in Punakha. They had entered Punakha from Langjophakha in Thimphu without informing the authorities. Police said they were working in a house renovation site in Langjophakha.
They walked for more than 15 hours through an old trail across Sinchula Mountain and reached Punakha on January 28. People alerted the local authorities about them.
The duo told the police that they got tested for COVID-19 before starting the journey but did not get the result. The men were home quarantined and arrested after testing negative for RT-PCR on Thursday.
Police said they will be charged with criminal nuisance and breach of public order and tranquillity.
Changa Dorji, Punakha
