Disappearance of Bhutanese monk: Body discovered in basement of hotel's elevator

Alipurduar: The sudden disappearance of a Bhutanese Buddhist monk, Dawa Norbu (45), from a hotel in Jaigaon has been resolved with the discovery of his body in the basement of the hotel’s elevator. Norbu had been missing since 4:30 pm on Thursday.

According to Jaigaon police, a group of six Buddhist monks from Limbukha village in Bhutan checked into the hotel on Thursday morning. They were scheduled to depart for Bodhgaya in the afternoon. While checking out, Norbu left his identity card in his room and went to retrieve it from the second floor via the elevator. He was not seen again.

After hours of searching, hotel staff and police from Jaigaon and Phuentsholing, Bhutan, reviewed CCTV footage. It showed Norbu entering the elevator but not emerging. The footage revealed that other guests used the elevator after his disappearance, but there was no sign of him.

At 12:30 am, police decided to inspect the elevator’s basement and found Norbu’s body.

Investigations suggest that he accidentally opened the elevator's outer gate in haste, falling into the shock absorber pit while the elevator was stationed on the second floor. The repeated movement of the elevator caused his body to be crushed.

The police have launched an investigation into the incident, including potential negligence in elevator maintenance. The body has been sent to Cooch Behar Medical College Hospital for an autopsy.

District Superintendent of Police Y Raghuvamshi stated: "We are conducting a thorough investigation. If negligence in elevator maintenance is confirmed, strict legal action will be taken against the hotel authorities."