17:00, 18 May 2013

In Astrakhan, case of hostage-taker sent to court

Investigators have completed their inquiry into the criminal case opened against Alexander Kuptsov, a resident of Astrakhan, suspected of taking hostages in the Volga-Caspian Fishery College.

On May 15, the Kirov District Court of Astrakhan extended by one month the arrest of Alexander Kuptsov. On March 16, he was charged of taking four hostages, including juveniles, with the help of firearms.

The criminal case files have been sent, together with the confirmed indictment, to the court for consideration on the merits.

"Alexander Kuptsov's main motive of hostage-taking was in his desire to extort money," says a statement posted on May 17 the official website of the Investigatory Department for the Astrakhan Region of the ICRF (Investigatory Committee of the Russian Federation).

So far, no comments of Kuptsov or his representatives in the context of the findings of the investigation are available.