Kandal provincial military police are searching for a man who allegedly killed his girlfriend on Saturday by burning her in Chhvang commune, Ponhea Leu district, Kandal.

Ponhea Leu district Criminal Investigations Department chief Pinh Vuthy said on Sunday that the suspect, who fled from the police, is a newcomer to the area and his true identity has not been ascertained.

He said the suspect is supposedly a 51-year-old a construction worker who is known as Toeu and lives in Oral district, Kampong Speu.

“My officers are investigating to detain this suspect but he is a bit hard to identify as he does not have a permanent address in this village,” he said.

Vuthy said the victim had adult children with previous husbands but they lived separately. She stayed with one daughter. The victim and the suspect lived together for less than one year but argued when he accused her of having an affair.

The daughter told police that on Saturday, while the victim was sleeping, she saw a fire burning on her mother’s bed. She immediately ran from her bed to her mother’s bed and saw the suspect running away from the house.

The daughter told police she shouted for help from her neighbours to put out the fire. The fire did not burn the house down.

Chhvang commune chief Chea Sareth said on Sunday that after hearing the victim’s daughter, villagers helped to put out the fire and took the woman to the Ponhea Leu district referral hospital.