A former chief monk from Kratie province’s Sambo district poured gasoline over his wife and set her alight before at­­tempting to swallow acid him­self, police reported yester­day after the couple were sent to hospital.

The wife, 32, the mother of a newborn, is recov­ering, while her husband, 48, is in a serious condition, Kbal Domrei commune police chief Ngem Sok said.

The victim told police her husband had been frequently violent with her.

After he set her on fire, she jumped into mud to extinguish it, she said.

Sok said the husband did not swallow the acid he had attempted to drink and was found in time by a villager.

Police said they would take action against the ex-monk once he recovered.

To contact the reporter on this story: Lieng Sarith at [email protected]