DUSHANBE, May 16, 2016, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan has reportedly demanded unbiased investigation into recent clashes at Moscow’s largest cemetery.
Tajikistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has asked Russian Ambassador to Tajikistan Igor Lyakin-Frolov to take immediate measures to ensure an unbiased investigation into a mass brawl that took place at Moscow”s Khovanskoye cemetery on May 14.
Three people were reportedly killed and two dozen were wounded on Saturday in the mass brawl that was reportedly sparked by rivalry between ethnic groups battling for control of the burial service business.
According to the Tajik Interior Ministry’s website, Tajik nationals Suhrob Khushakov, Inoyat Rizoyev and Saynouriddin Sobirov were killed in the brawl. Four other Tajik nationals are in serious condition. In all, 26 people were reportedly wounded and 23 of them were hospitalized.
The
RIA
news agency quoted a cemetery official as saying people from Russia”s North Caucasus regions of Chechnya and Dagestan had attacked migrants from ex-Soviet Uzbekistan and Tajikistan working there, attempting to take over their jobs.
Quoting a police source,
TASS
news agency said ethnic Chechens, Dagestanis, Uzbeks and Tajiks were among those detained.
The police reportedly recovered from the scene an assault rifle Kalashnikov, 51 empty cartridge cases of different caliber, knuckles, knives, axes, sticks and metal pieces.
Tajikistan”s Interior Ministry has sent to Moscow its top expert in battling organized crime to help investigate the incident.
Twenty-six people have been hospitalized after the brawl, half of them with firearm injuries, a source inside medical circles told
Interfax
.
Police have launched a criminal inquiry into the incident on charges of two or more murders by an organized group, illicit trafficking of firearms, and premeditated hooliganism, (Articles 105, 222 and 213 of the Russian Criminal Code, respectively).
