HCM CITY — A 21-year-old man who went on a rampage at Bửu Quang pagoda in Thủ Đức District on Wednesday, killing one monk and injuring three others, is suspected to be mentally disturbed.

The suspect, Ngô Quang Huy, is currently in custody at Bình Chiểu ward police station.

Initial inquiries have revealed that Huy, a Buddhist pupil from Nghệ An Province who had practised at Bửu Quang pagoda for a few years, however, he was moved to a pagoda in Bà Rịa, Vũng Tàu Province a few months ago.

On the evening of October 4, Huy returned to Bửu Quang pagoda and got into an argument with the monks there. A day later, during a ceremony, he got into a heated argument with a senior monk, Nguyên Tuệ, and got a knife from the kitchen and attacked Tuệ in the main sanctum, the police said.

When the injured monk ran outside shouting for help, others tried to dissuade and disarm Huy, who continued to wave the knife around, injuring more people. He then wandered into the pagoda’s courtyard, where he saw a nun on a wheelchair and attacked her.

People at the pagoda called the police and rushed the victims to Thủ Đức hospital.

As a result of serious injuries, poor health and advanced age, the nun, Tư Ngọc, who was 103 years old, did not survive. She had practised at Bửu Quang pagoda since 1952.

Among the three monks who were injured two are recuperating, while the other, who was hospitalised in a critical condition has regained consciousness after intensive care.

Superior Buddhist Monk Thích Thiện Tánh, deputy chairman of the Standing Committee of Việt Nam Buddhist Sangha in HCM City, told Tuổi Trẻ (Youth) that it was an unprecedented incident and that according to reports from Bửu Quang pagoda, Huy is mentally disturbed but has not received treatment.

The police are currently questioning Huy for further information. He will also undergo complete physiological and psychiatric examination.—VNS