Two farmers died in Takeo province on Monday night after a squabble during a dance at Mkak village’s annual prosperity festival turned violent.

The incident began with the trading of insults between two local women – Em Pov, 32, and Meurng Theary, 30 – according to provincial deputy police chief Khout Lo.

The exchange turned physical, but Pov’s brother, Em Kath, and Theary’s husband, Soum Sineurn, broke the pair apart before anyone was hurt.

But 20 minutes later, the name-calling between the two women resumed. According to village chief Ith Song, this prompted Sineurn to collect a knife and return with his brother, Soum Money.

When the duo arrived at Kath’s house, a brawl erupted, during which Kath sustained a knife wound to the chest and Sineurn received head injuries from a lump of wood.

Both died shortly thereafter.

Pov and Money have been sent to the court, said Lo.

Village chief Song said, “I cannot believe it. This never happened to my village before. We used to see these cases . . . one side gets injures, while another side dies . . . But here, two lives lost. This is a tragedy.”