Sikkim Police said they have cracked the sensational Tadong murder case-locally known as the “Traffic Lata” case-within hours of the body being found and have arrested a 20-year-old man in connection with the killing. District Superintendent of Police Mahendra Subba told reporters at the SP Office in Gangtok that the accused, identified as Madan Rai, was apprehended after a rapid probe supported by technical surveillance.
The victim, a mute elderly man who regularly helped manage traffic near Panbai Ground, was discovered dead at his rented room in Tadong on March 28. An FIR was lodged at Sadar Police Station by Tesh Pal Pradhan, and the case was initially registered as an unnatural death.
A police team led by officer Manish Gurung secured the scene and, during a preliminary examination, found signs that prompted a formal inquest in the presence of a magistrate and forensic experts. Investigators analysed CCTV from surrounding areas and deployed plainclothes personnel to reconstruct the sequence of events.
Crucial footage from the early hours of March 28 reportedly showed an unidentified person entering the victim’s room at about 3:02 AM wearing a white cap and grey jacket, and leaving roughly 38 minutes later carrying an umbrella. Further footage indicated the person had followed the victim from the Tadong Khangri petrol pump to his residence, which helped officers identify the suspect.
Police said Madan Rai, a resident of Yangang who had recently come to Gangtok seeking work and had been staying at a hotel named Rural Serenity, was traced to a house in Arithang. He was found at a residence owned by Deepak Tamang and arrested there after officers tracked his movements.
A provisional post-mortem report gave the cause of death as asphyxia due to smothering. During questioning, the accused reportedly confessed, and his account-saying he followed the victim, entered the room and suffocated him-matched medical findings. Police said the suspected motive was robbery: the accused believed the victim had cash and allegedly took two mobile phones before fleeing.
Officials noted the accused has no prior criminal record and said further investigation is ongoing. Police have emphasized the speed of the inquiry and that all legal procedures, including the inquest on the Sunday of the incident, were carried out promptly.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/sikkim/story/gangtok-traffic-lata-murder-cracked-within-hours-20-year-old-arrested-1368255-2026-03-31?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-03-31 16:38:00
