19:00, 20 June 2011

Chechnya: policeman accidentally kills man at wedding

On June 19 in the village of Znamenskoye, Nadterechny District of Chechnya, a policeman of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) accidentally shot and killed a local resident, 21-year-old man.

"At the marriage party an officer of the Private Security Department of MIA made the shots in the air from his standard submachine gun (shooting into the air from firearm during a wedding ceremony is a tradition rooted in Chechnya, the "Caucasian Knot" commented)," said a Chechen law enforcement officer.

As a result, one of the bullets ricocheted and hit the young man who died in place.

"The policeman has to be responsible for the murder (albeit unintentional), also in accordance with 'adat', customary rules of Chechens. Should the relatives of the killed young man refuse to forgive the murderer, blood revenge would threaten him and his relatives," said the law enforcement officer.

Author: Muslim Ibragimov

Source: CK correspondent