A man suspected of throwing a grenade into a Kampot province wedding on Saturday night, killing one guest and injuring eight others, was arrested yesterday morning, police said.

The Angkor Chey district ceremony was violently interrupted when a grenade was thrown directly at the guests, killing one immediately.

Three others, two of them children, were severely injured, according to police. They were rushed to hospitals in Phnom Penh and Kampot.

“Following our preliminary investigation, it is our belief that the incident was caused by spite against the family by [the suspect] Noun Touch,” Angkor Chey police chief Pov Sameth said.

“He had been divorced from the bride’s female cousin, and was angered at her refusal to cohabitate with him [after being separated for several years],” Sameth said.

The suspect had been arrested yesterday morning at his father-in-law’s house and would most likely be charged with murder, he added.

Kampot police chief Thlang Phirin said the wedding ceremony had quickly turned into a funeral.

“The suspect detonated the grenade during the wedding reception after the monk had just finished performing the religions chants for the bride and groom,” he said.

Police were continuing to the question the subject and would soon send him to court, Phirin said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Kim Yuthana at [email protected]