Police arrested a woman in Kandal province on Monday for brutally attacking another woman with a razor blade after the victim refused to stop contacting the assailant’s husband, local officials said on Tuesday.
Khang Chenda, 35, showed up at the Khsach Kandal district home of Srin Mony, 26, on Monday morning accompanied by six other women and began to attack the younger woman with a razor blade, leaving deep cuts in her face, stomach and arms, said Sroeun Sreang, police chief in Puk Russei commune.
Ms. Chenda was arrested at the scene, while her aunt, Hay Mach, 50, who was among the women present at the time of the attack, was detained later that day and released without charge, according to Mr. Sreang, who said the other five women in the group are still wanted for questioning.
“Ms. Chenda told police that Srin Mony used to contact her husband even after she told her to stop loving him,” Mr. Sreang said.
Puk Russei commune chief Ang Lyleng said he also believed the attack was motivated by jealousy.
“Ms. Mony loves the suspect’s husband and she would telephone him,” he said. “I think this is an issue of jealousy between the victim and suspect.”
District police chief Men Sokhoeun said the victim and suspect had started negotiations to settle the dispute outside of court, but that police insisted on prosecuting Ms. Chenda and would transfer her from the provincial police headquarters to the Kandal court in the next few days.
“Both sides tried to resolve this case outside the court system, but police could not allow it because this is a crime,” he said.
Ms. Mony, a vendor at a local market, demanded $6,000 from Ms. Chenda to settle the case out of court, Mr. Sokhoeun said, adding that Ms. Chenda offered to pay only $2,000.
