A man has been arrested in the Tajik southern city of Kulob for an attempt to set fire to the New Year’s and attacking police officer.  

“In the morning of December 24, police officer noticed a man who was trying to set fire to the New Year’s tree in Kulob.  When the police officer tried to detain him, the man wanted to stab him with a knife,” an official source within the Interior Ministry’s office in Khatlon province told Asia-Plus by phone.

According to him, the detainee was identified as a 27-year-old resident of Kulob Farhod Azizkhon.

Farhod Azizkhon is suffering from a mental disorder and has the previous conviction for drug trafficking, the source added.