Man Suspected of Setting Fiancé on Fire Detained

A man was arrested in Battambang province on Sunday after he allegedly doused his former fiancé and her sister with gasoline and set them on fire, military police said.

Tan Nilong, 57, a Cambodian man who has lived in the US for the past 26 years, is suspected of pouring 5 liters of gasoline over Yain Kim Han, 21, and setting her on fire Saturday evening at her family’s house in Prek Preah Sdech commune, said Larch Brok, provincial military police chief of staff.

Yain Kim Han was attacked while washing dishes with her 15-year-old sister, Yain Sieng Y, Larch Brok said. Her entire body was burnt and her sister also had her legs and the right side of her body burnt, he said, adding both are being treated at the RCAF Military Region 5 hospital.

“Yain Kim Han faces disability or death because she was seriously injured,” Larch Brok said.

Military police arrested Tan Nilong at a friend’s house in Kdol Dounteav commune Sunday morning after receiving a complaint from the victims’ family, who said they witnessed the attack, Larch Brok said.

The suspect is being detained at Battambang military police headquarters and has not been charged with or confessed to the crime, he added.

He said the victims’ family told him that Yain Kim Han had broken her engagement with Tan Nilong about a month ago when she learned that he was already married in the US. Tan Nilong had reportedly threatened the family in the past, Larch Brok said.

“He was probably angry that the victim broke her engagement with him,” he said.

Battambang provincial Adhoc coordinator Yin Mengly said the case was particularly brutal, but that there were many cases of domestic violence in Cambodia. He added that a strong stance from the authorities was required to help stop such crimes.

“The courts should punish all suspects seriously to set a good example,” Yin Mengly said, adding that suspects in such cases should not be allowed to pay compensation to secure their release.

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