Kampong Thom provincial police are investigating a complaint by a former CNRP official about a murder attempt by four unknown men who beat him up and stole his phone in Baray district on Friday. Major General Ouk Kosal, provincial police chief, yesterday said that police received the complaint from Sun Thun, a Cambodian Independent Teachers Association member and former provincial councillor with the CNRP. He said police went to check the scene of the alleged murder attempt in Baray commune's Thnal Cheat village, but have not found any of the four men. "In this case, the plaintiff has sued unknown persons so we have to collect information and other evidence, Maj Gen Kosal said. "We are still investigating what happened." Mr Thun yesterday said that on the day of the attack, the men pretended to be looking to buy land next to a school where he runs a rice stall. He said they persuaded him to go with them to talk to the landowner. "They drove a white car, but I don't remember the license plate. They asked me to take them to the landowner" he said. "When we reached the house of the landowner, they kept driving from one village to another and only stopped the car when they reached a quiet spot." "They then beat me up until my face was swollen before grabbing my phone and driving off" Mr Thun added. He said he has never had a conflict with any villager and believes it was a murder attempt because he is a former senior CNRP official. Mr Thun claimed that he has previously been threatened by authorities in the province. "I consider it as premeditated murder as I am a former CNRP official" he said. "I was previously threatened by the authorities after I spoke on some foreign radio programmes about concerns from the public." Ouk Chhayavy, CITA president, yesterday said the murder attempt on Mr Thun may be related to politics because he had previously faced discrimination and his activities were monitored by strangers. She urged the authorities, especially the government, to investigate the case and arrest the perpetrators to be punished according to the law.