A grandmother, her daughter and two grandchildren were doused with acid in an attack in Kampong Chhnang province’s Kampong Tralach district, police said Sunday.
Chhoeur Lakhena, 30, and her daughter Chhoeur Srey Aun, 4, were seriously burned when they were covered on their heads and faces by acid Thursday night in Prey Pea village, Chhuok Sar commune. Chhoeur Lakhena’s 7-year-old son, Samnang, and her mother, Um Borong, 58, were less seriously burned on their legs and bodies, deputy district police Chief Srey Ra said Sunday.
Three Cham Muslims are suspected of organizing the attack, which occurred three hours after an argument with the family, Srey Ra said.
According to police, Chhoeur Lakhena was accused of encouraging a Cham girl to elope with her boyfriend.
Chhoeur Lakhena denies having ever talked to the Cham girl, police said. The victims live on the boundary between the Khmer and Muslim communities in Kampong Tralach, said Srey Ra.
He said that an attack of this kind had never occurred in his district before.
“The attacker was hired. He doused the victims with acid twice as they were watching television,” Srey Ra said. “The acid hit a pillar first and spread over the victims so that no one could escape.”
Um Borong was sleeping on a hammock, while Chhoeur Lakhena and her two children were watching television when about
1 liter of acid was thrown through the window of their home.
The victims were taken to Preah Kossamak Hospital in Phnom Phnom, district police Chief Mov Sokhom said Sunday.
