Two police officers dismissed over killing of student at Nevruz celebrations
DİYARBAKIR
Two police officers were dismissed from their duties over the killing of a student at the Nevruz celebrations in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır, the Diyarbakır Governor’s Office said March 25.The 23-year-old university student, Kemal Kurkut, was shot by police on March 21 during the Nevruz celebrations in the Bağlar district after he reportedly attempted to enter the festival area with a knife and a backpack. Kurkut later succumbed to his injuries in hospital.
The Diyarbakır Governor’s Office said in a statement that an investigation into the incident was ongoing and it also demanded an inspector be assigned from the Interior Ministry for the administrative investigation.
It also stated that two police officers were dismissed from their duties in connection with the killing of Kurkut.
One of the police officers had been released after testifying to the prosecutor, while the other was released on probation by the court following an arrest warrant on charges of “homicide with eventual intent.”
The Diyarbakır Court of Peace Magistracy also imposed a media ban on reporting the incident upon the application of the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Meanwhile, authorities said Kurkut received psychiatry treatment in a hospital in the eastern province of Malatya between September and November 2016, state-run Anadolu Agency reported.
He reportedly did not take his anti-psychotic and anti-depressant drugs since then, Anadolu Agency said.
The governor’s office had previously stated that Kurkut allegedly shouted “I have a bomb in my bag, I will kill you all,” before he attacked security forces with a knife and ran toward the square as he refused to obey warnings.
