76-year-old man kills stranger, drags body to chicken shed and surrenders to Police in Gangtok

A 76-year-old retired government employee allegedly killed a man near his residence at Krishi Bhawan in Gangtok on the night of July 22. The accused later surrendered to the police and confessed to the crime. Police are now investigating the case from all possible angles, including self-defence, provocation, and mental health issues.

The accused has been identified as Pema Gyalpo Ladingpa, a former employee of the Forest Department. He lived alone in the Krishi Bhawan area. According to the police, the incident occurred sometime around 11 PM. At around 12:30 AM, Ladingpa walked into the Tadong Police Outpost and informed officers that he had killed a man near his house.

Superintendent of Police, Gangtok, Mahendra Subba, confirmed the details at a press briefing. “We received a call around 12:30 AM from a man named Lakpa Sherpa who relayed the accused's confession. A team immediately rushed to the spot. We found the body of a man lying unconscious inside a chicken shed next to the accused’s house,” he said.

The victim was later identified as Kalyan Rai, 36, son of Kalu Rai, a resident of Katwal Bazar in Lebong, Darjeeling. He was said to have previously worked with the Jio company and had recently been staying as a tenant under someone named Arnold in Gangtok.

During the investigation, police found multiple stab wounds on the victim's body — particularly on his neck, chest, and arms. The accused reportedly told the police that the victim had been loitering near his house and repeatedly knocking on his door from around 8 PM. Ladingpa said he became increasingly irritated and scared. When he finally opened the door, a confrontation took place. He claimed the man had a knife, and in the scuffle, he managed to take it away and stabbed the stranger multiple times.

After the incident, Ladingpa dragged the body to a nearby chicken shed. He tried to clean the blood off his feet and then left for the police station. The police recovered the weapon — a knife — from a dustbin based on Ladingpa’s disclosure.

SHO Niraj Khatiwada of Sadar Thana confirmed that an autopsy was conducted in the presence of the victim’s family, who had arrived in Gangtok after being informed of the tragedy. The police have registered a case under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, which deals with murder.

However, the police say it is too early to draw conclusions. Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Mingyur Tempo Nadik said, “The accused claims it was an act of self-defence. He said the stranger was standing outside his door and would not go away. We are checking every detail and angle. The mental health of the accused is also being evaluated.”

So far, there is no known connection between the accused and the victim. Police are still trying to understand why the victim was near the area and what exactly led to the confrontation. “There could be many reasons — misunderstanding, provocation, or even mistaken identity,” said SDPO Nadik.

Another person, a driver who lives upstairs, has also been brought in for questioning. He might have heard or seen something important. Teams from the State Forensic Science Laboratory (SFSL), CID fingerprint unit, and crime scene experts also visited the spot and collected evidence.

The police are urging the public not to spread rumours or draw their own conclusions before the investigation is completed. “This is a sensitive case, and we want to assure the public that we are handling it carefully and thoroughly,” said SP Subba.

As of now, Ladingpa is in police custody. His remand has been sought and he will remain under observation. A clearer picture is expected to emerge once the forensic and post-mortem reports are fully analysed.