The tragedy of an alcoholic

(Baonghean) -From a good young man, C. left his hometown to work in the South, then got married and had children. He got married but refused to start a business, and without realizing it, he became addicted to alcohol. Leaving his wife and children in the South, C. returned to his hometown, living a dissolute life, living a life of drinking. One time, he was short of money for alcohol, so he took a knife to a hospital and robbed a patient.

Many people in Nghi Van commune, Nghi Loc district knew NVC (28 years old) since he was a good young man. Leaving school early, C. stayed home to help his parents with farm work. Later, C. went to work in industrial parks in Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong and then went to the Central Highlands. Here, he got married and had children in the joy and hope of his family and friends. However, for some reason, since he got married, he often threw himself into drinking parties all night and became a rude, alcoholic person. In mid-2013, people in Nghi Van commune saw C. return to his hometown alone, leaving his wife and children in Dak Lak. He said he returned to his hometown to help his parents with the harvest, but while his relatives were working hard, worrying about the rice and corn crops, C. spent all day looking for excuses to go drinking with a group of dissolute, lazy young men. Many people who saw him drinking all day could only shake their heads in dismay.

One night in late May 2013, he went out to find friends to drink alcohol but he had no money in his pocket. While walking around, he saw some relatives of patients being treated at Nghe An Tuberculosis and Lung Hospital enjoying the cool breeze. An idea flashed in his mind, C. found a knife to cut pork, put it on his back and followed the hospital gate, into the back garden. When he saw a woman sitting enjoying the cool breeze under the shade of a tree, C. ran over, holding a knife straight to a person's neck and said coldly: "If you know what's good for you, give me your cell phone."

The robber's voice, which seemed to be hissing through his teeth, made the poor woman pull out her phone and stand there like a statue. Meanwhile, some people were so scared that they ran away and shouted "Robbery! Robbery!". Knowing that he had been discovered, C. took the knife and ran around to the back and disappeared into the darkness. A few minutes later, he continued to enter the hospital grounds. Seeing a woman walking in the hallway, he continued his old trick. This time, the victim also cried out for help, making it impossible for him to take the money or the phone. Too angry, C. used the knife to slash the woman's arm and ran out of the hospital grounds into the dark night.

NVC at the investigation agency.



The knife that C. used to commit the crime.

The sudden robbery caused chaos at Nghe An Tuberculosis and Lung Hospital. Dozens of patients' relatives were chatting excitedly while closing the treatment room doors for fear that the robber would suddenly appear. In the dark of night, the security force reported the incident to Nghi Van Commune Police and Nghi Loc District Police to increase their forces. Lieutenant Colonel Cao Ba Tuyet - Deputy Head of the Social Order Crime Investigation Police Team of Nghi Loc District Police and soldiers in the team immediately arrived at the scene.

After stabilizing the situation, doing psychological work and reassuring the patient's family, the working group began to identify the robber through the statements of the two victims, Nguyen Thi Thuong (residing in Nghi An commune, Vinh city (robbery) and Ms. Nguyen Thanh Da, residing in Dien Tho commune, Dien Chau district (the person who was slashed). However, both of these people could not provide any noteworthy and important information. That same night, the working group classified the group of suspects as young vagrants with criminal records, but all of them proved their innocence.

With the determination to capture the criminal to the end, although the property of the robbery was not large, the dangerous and reckless nature and the occurrence at a location that was a hospital, which had been very quiet for a long time, made the Nghi Loc District Police force even more determined. After gradually eliminating the suspects, the working group received information from the people reflecting on the reappearance of NVC and his loitering and drinking. The next afternoon, after consolidating the evidence, the working group decided to urgently arrest C. when he was about to go out drinking. Being a petty gangster, only because of a few glasses of wine that he committed the crime, when arrested, C. immediately confessed to his actions, handed over the knife used to commit the crime and cried like a child. Considering the seriousness of the incident as well as considering the elements constituting the crime, Nghi Loc District Police ordered to prosecute the case of robbery against NVC.

Mr. Tran Khac Ho, Chief of Nghi Van Commune Police, said: NVC is a subject who has been on the watch list of the commune police for a long time. Although he is a young man, he does not work hard but spends all day drinking and debauchery. Once, while drunk, C. stole a motorbike from a local resident and was discovered, but the commune police prevented the residents from beating him, and at the same time, administratively disciplined him, called C. up to warn him, promising not to repeat the offense.

Hearing that C. was arrested for causing a daring robbery in the hospital, many people in Nghi Van commune both sympathized with his wife who was struggling alone in the South, and were angry at the drinking and debauchery of the young man who was not yet 30 years old. NVC's case is also a lesson for those who do not strive to make a living, but because of alcoholism, they degenerate and become corrupt.

Article and photos: Nguyen Khoa