A Serbian man has been arrested for attacking a police officer with a crucifix that he bought for his partner’s funeral after they told him that she was just unconscious and not dead.

The 50-year-old suspect, who has only been named in local media reports as Svetozar P. due to strict local privacy laws, allegedly attacked the police officer with the cross he bought for the funeral when they told him the news.

The incident took place in the village of Koceljeva, which is located in the Macva District of western Serbia.

Svetozar is in an extramarital relationship with the woman, who has only been named as L. P., 64, with whom he lived, according to local media outlet Mondo.

On the morning of Monday 11th October, the man told his daughter, who has not been named, that her mother had died and she called the police to inform them.

The police went to the house along with a doctor to confirm the death.

When the police arrived, the house was full of friends and family who had come to pay their respects to the supposedly deceased woman.

A crucifix as well as a coffin had already been delivered to the home as the family prepared for the woman’s funeral.

The doctor then inspected the ‘corpse’ to confirm that the woman was dead, but realised she was in fact only unconscious.

The doctor informed the husband and the cop that the woman was not dead and the officer then entered the room to ensure that the woman was indeed still breathing.

The police officer happily told Svetozar that his partner was still alive and that an ambulance was on its way to take her to hospital.

The husband then unexpectedly lost his temper, according to local media reports, and instead of expressing relief that his partner was still alive, he allegedly grabbed the wooden cross he bought for the funeral and attempted to hit the policeman with it.

He is then alleged to have approached the police officer’s car and smashed one of its windows with the cross.

The police officer was reportedly injured in the attack and the husband was taken to a psychiatric ward to be evaluated, and he is currently being kept under observation.

At the time of writing, it was unclear if he faces any charges.

There have been no further updates on his partner’s current condition.