Agency: The Narcotics, Drugs and Other Vices Division (NDOVD) of the Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) said that they did not foresee the accident that led to the death of 33-year-old Biren Kumar Kafley, who was being escorted in a jail van during an ongoing drug investigation on 14th November 2025.
Police claimed that Biren tried to escape and fell out of the van hitting his head.
The death has led to the family asking for answers and evidence and it has also caused public outrage on the brain death followed by the death of Biren.
What happened that day
Police acknowledged that the deceased was not accompanied by police personnel at the back of the jail van. They said Biren had been fully cooperative throughout the investigation, which had led to the arrests of two more suppliers, and the team had not anticipated any attempt to escape.
According to NDOVD, Biren managed to open one side of his cuff, unlock the inner latch of the van door, then force open the main door before jumping out of the moving vehicle.
They added that Biren had one cuff hanging from his right wrist when found, suggesting he opened the left side himself. Because Biren was an ex-convict, police said he might have known techniques to loosen cuff mechanisms.
Police said the escort personnel heard some noise shortly before stopping the vehicle. When they discovered the door open and Biren missing, they immediately turned around and found three individuals had moved Biren to the roadside in an unconscious condition.
He was then taken to the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH).
Police have identified the three individuals who moved Biren off the road, and are still searching for the main eyewitness who allegedly saw him jump from the van and informed the three eyewitnesses about the possibility of a falling person from a moving van.
Biren’s wife questions the claim that he jumped, pointing out the lack of scratches or torn clothing typically expected from falling out of a moving vehicle.