A monk was arrested and will be sent to court on Monday for stabbing a woman in a romantic dispute.

Banteay Meanchey provincial deputy police chief Sith Los said on Sunday that the monk, who was identified as Ton Savorn, 52, resides at a pagoda in the province’s Sisophon town.

He was arrested and defrocked on Saturday morning on suspicion of stabbing a female vendor, Seng Phalla, 46, with an iron stick in Nimith commune, Poipet town.

Poipet town police chief Thin Sindeth said the woman was stabbed in the neck and parts of the face.

She was immediately admitted to a hospital in Thailand and is recovering. Before the attack, the woman was seen driving a car in Nimith commune. The monk got in the car and attacked her after a while, according to the National Police website.