Police were searching on Thursday for a man who allegedly stabbed a fellow wedding guest to death on Wednesday night after a scuffle broke out on the dance floor in Kompong Speu province’s Kong Pisei district, an official said.
Tuy Then, deputy district police chief, said the suspect and victim were members of two different groups that had been mocking each other at a wedding party in Prey Vihear commune all night.
Mr. Then said Moeuk Panha, 22, stabbed U Neang, 33, at about 11:30 p.m. with a sharp metal object that he retrieved from his pocket after the pair bumped into each other while dancing.
“This murder was caused by two groups of drinkers mocking each other at the wedding party,” he said.
The deputy said Mr. Panha fled the scene through some nearby bushes, eluding commune police who had been distracted by the suspect’s friends, four of whom were arrested and detained for questioning.
“Our forces tried to arrest the perpetrator, but his gang tried to prevent police from arresting—that’s why we arrested them for questioning,” he said.