Cheldiev's colleagues link Colonel's murder in North Ossetia with his official activities

The murder of Vitaly Cheldiev, high-ranking officer of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of North Ossetia, could be linked with his professional activities, as the militiamen who worked together with the Colonel and knew him well believe.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told in law enforcement bodies that the crime was committed today at 8:45 a.m. in Moskovskaya Street, located in the southern suburb of Vladikavkaz. Militia Colonel Cheldiev was moving, together with his son of 20, a higher school student, in a white "Mazda" passenger car in direction of his work. The criminals, who were in a Model 9 VAZ car, shelled the Colonel's car in motion. As a result of the attack, Mr Cheldiev and his son died in situ.

Militia officers believe that the murder of their colleague was a result of a thoroughly devised criminal action.

His colleagues gave a positive answer to the question whether Vitaly Cheldiev could be killed by ill-wishers or his hidden or open enemies. "The work of the officer, who was developing and always taking part in operations of capturing especially dangerous criminals, is always related to high life risk," one of the sources gave his arguments.

It is already the third murder of high-ranking MIA officers in North Ossetia within the period from March 2008.

We remind you that earlier the "Caucasian Knot" reported about the murder of Mark Metsaev, head of the UBOP (Department for Fighting Organized Crime), committed in the evening on March 7 in Gorky Street in the centre of Vladikavkaz.

On September 9 in the afternoon, on the embankment of the Terek River, also in the centre of the capital of North Ossetia, unidentified criminals shot dead Militia Lieutenant Colonel Ilya Kasradze.