A woman was rushed to hospital on Sunday night with serious burns over most of her body after she was set on fire by a suspect thought to be the man she refused to marry, relatives and police said yesterday.

The victim’s sister, Suy Kimly, 48, said almost all of 38-year-old Suy Vanndy’s body was burned just before 10pm on Sunday at the victim’s home, which followed her refusal to marry a man who had threatened to kill her twice before, including once earlier that day.

“The perpetrator told my sister that she cannot marry someone besides him, and he will make problems for her if she still rejects him,” Suy Kimly said, adding she had not thought the jilted suitor would actually do anything.

“I really felt pity for my sister when I saw her body covered in fire, and she tried to put out the fire by herself.”

After the attack, in Koh Kong province’s Botum Sakor district, the victim was rushed to Preah Sihanouk provincial hospital before she was transferred to a Phnom Penh hospital at about 3am yesterday, Suy Kimly said.

Heng Savoeun, Botum Sakor district police chief, said the suspect escaped into dense forest.

“We know his identity because he has lived in the village for a very long time,” Heng Savoeun said.

The victim’s family has filed an official police complaint.

Her 18-year-old daughter said she had collected evidence from the scene, including a cap, glasses, shoes, lighter and raincoat proving the suspect’s identity.

To contact the reporter on this story: Mom Kunthear at [email protected]