In a significant development in the Dentam murder case, police have revealed that the incident stemmed from a dispute over payment of wages, which escalated into a fatal assault.
According to the Superintendent of Police, Gyalshing District, Mr Tshering Sherpa (SPS), the incident occurred on January 23, 2026, at around 6:00 pm. The deceased, Rajib Mandal (27), a carpenter by profession and a resident of Ramganj, Islampur in Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal, was found dead later that evening inside his rented room at Dentam Tar, Middle Shankhu, in a pool of blood.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased and four carpenters working under him were inside the rented room consuming alcohol and having dinner when an argument broke out over payment of wages. The dispute soon turned violent, during which accused Suman Mandal allegedly assaulted Rajib Mandal with an iron hammer, causing fatal injuries.
Following the incident, the accused persons fled the scene. An immediate alert was issued, and acting swiftly, a police team from Legshep Outpost intercepted the accused at Legshep while they were attempting to escape in a hired vehicle. The prompt action and coordination of the police personnel have been highly commended by senior officials.
In connection with the case, Dentam Police Station Case No. 01/2026 dated January 23, 2026, has been registered under Sections 103(1) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) based on a written FIR lodged by Ward Panchayat Prakash Subba.
Three accused persons—Suman Mandal (24), Prangopal Mandal (42), and Bubai Adhikary (20), all residents of West Bengal and employed by the deceased—have been arrested. One juvenile associated with the group has been handed over to his guardian, as his involvement in the offence has not been established.i
