A recently divorced man in Battambang City has taken his own daughter hostage after police came to his home to investigate an assault complaint leveled against him, police said.
Soth Vanny, deputy provincial police chief in charge of the force’s judicial bureau, said his officers arrived at the Prek Preah Sdech commune home of the man—whom he identified only as Van, 30—to follow up on a complaint accusing the suspect of slapping his pregnant sister-in-law, who lives with him.
When police arrived at his house Wednesday afternoon, the suspect pushed his sister-in-law and his mother, who also lives with him, outside and locked himself in with his daughter, according to police.
Mr. Vanny said that the suspect, who likely has mental problems, told police that if they tried to come inside, he would attack the young girl.
“The suspect feels sad after his divorce; that’s the reason he’s crazy,” he said. As of Wednesday evening, police had the house surrounded.
“The hostage has not been injured,” Mr. Vanny said.
