The tragedy of the alcoholic.

(Baonghean)From a well-behaved young man, C. left his hometown to work in the South, then got married and had children. He started a family but didn't bother to establish a career; he unknowingly became addicted to alcohol. Leaving his wife and children behind in the South, C. returned to his hometown, living a dissolute and aimless life, subsisting on small drinking sprees. One time, short of money for alcohol, he took a knife and robbed a patient at a hospital.

Many people in Nghi Van commune, Nghi Loc district, knew NVC (28 years old) from when he was a well-behaved young man. Having dropped out of school early, C. stayed home to help his parents with farm work. Later, C. went to work as a laborer in industrial zones in Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, and then the Central Highlands. There, he married and had children, much to the joy and hope of his family and friends. However, for some reason, after getting married, he frequently indulged in all-night drinking sessions, becoming a rude and alcoholic. In mid-2013, people in Nghi Van commune saw C. return home alone, leaving his wife and children behind in Dak Lak. He claimed to be returning home to help his parents with the harvest, but while his relatives were toiling in the fields, worrying about the rice and corn crops, C. spent his days drinking with a group of dissolute and debauched young men. Many people, witnessing his constant drinking, could only shake their heads in dismay.

One night in late May 2013, he went out to find friends to drink with, but he was completely broke. While wandering around, he came across some family members of patients being treated at the Nghe An Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Hospital, relaxing in the cool air. An idea flashed through his mind. C. grabbed a pig-cutting knife, tucked it into his belt, and went along the hospital gate into the garden behind. When he saw a woman sitting under a tree, C. ran up, held the knife to her neck, and said coldly, "If you know what's good for you, hand over your mobile phone."

The robber's voice, hissed through clenched teeth, left the poor woman stunned, only able to pull out her phone. Meanwhile, several terrified people scattered, shouting "Thief! Thief!". Realizing he'd been caught, C. grabbed his knife and ran around to the back, disappearing into the darkness. A few minutes later, he returned to the hospital grounds, spotted another woman walking in the hallway, and repeated his trick. This time, the victim screamed for help, preventing him from taking her money or phone. Enraged, C. slashed the woman's arm with his knife before fleeing the hospital grounds into the night.

NVC at the investigative agency.



The knife that C. used to commit the crime.

The unexpected robbery caused chaos at the Nghe An Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Hospital. Dozens of patients' relatives were discussing the incident excitedly while locking the doors of treatment rooms for fear of the robber's sudden appearance. That same night, security guards reported the incident to the Nghi Van Commune Police and the Nghi Loc District Police, who requested reinforcements. Lieutenant Colonel Cao Ba Tuyet, Deputy Head of the Criminal Investigation Team for Social Order Crimes of the Nghi Loc District Police, along with his officers, immediately arrived at the scene.

After stabilizing the situation, providing psychological support, and reassuring the patients' families, the task force began identifying the robber based on the statements of the two victims: Nguyen Thi Thuong (residing in Nghi An commune, Vinh City - the victim of the robbery) and Nguyen Thanh Da (residing in Dien Tho commune, Dien Chau district - the victim of the stabbing). However, neither of them provided any noteworthy or important information. That same night, the task force categorized the suspects into groups of delinquent youths with criminal records, but all of them proved their innocence.

Determined to apprehend the criminal, even though the stolen property wasn't substantial, the dangerous and audacious nature of the robbery, occurring in a previously quiet location like a hospital, further strengthened the Nghi Loc District Police's resolve. After gradually eliminating potential suspects, the task force received information from residents about the reappearance of NVC and his dissolute drinking habits. The following afternoon, after gathering sufficient evidence, the task force decided to arrest C. urgently as he was about to go drinking. Being a petty gangster who committed the crime simply because of a few drinks, C. immediately confessed, handed over the murder weapon, and wept like a child upon arrest. Considering the seriousness of the incident and the elements constituting the crime, the Nghi Loc District Police issued an order to prosecute NVC for robbery.

Mr. Tran Khac Ho, Head of the Nghi Van Commune Police, said: NVC is an individual who has been on the commune police's watchlist for a long time. Despite being a young man, he doesn't focus on honest work but instead spends his days drinking heavily. Once, while drunk, C. stole a motorbike from a villager and was caught. However, the commune police prevented the villagers from beating him, instead handling the matter administratively and summoning C. for a warning, promising not to repeat the offense.

Upon hearing the news that C. had been arrested for committing a daring robbery at the hospital, many residents of Nghi Van commune felt both sympathy for his wife struggling alone in the South and anger at the young man's alcoholism and dissolute lifestyle, even before he turned 30. NVC's case serves as a lesson for those who lack self-discipline and fail to work hard, instead becoming corrupted and morally degenerate due to alcoholism.

Text and photos: Nguyen Khoa