Deputy police chief released after six-day arrest over homicide in Istanbul

ISTANBUL

DHA photo

A deputy chief of police in Istanbul who was arrested early on Aug. 18 over the killing of a motorcycle rider in a road-rage incident has been released pending trial.

Celal Yılmaz, 51, who shot dead a motorcycle driver who pointed a gun at him during a traffic quarrel, was released on Aug. 24 upon his lawyer’s application to the Bakırköy Criminal Court of Peace. 

The court decided to release Yılmaz on the grounds that it believed there was no danger he would flee the country and all evidence in the case has been collected. 

Yılmaz was promoted to the rank of first-degree police chief two months ago and is responsible for the Büyükçekmece, Çatalca, Beylikdüzü and Silivri districts of Istanbul.

On Aug. 17, he entered a quarrel with motorcycle rider Ahmet Sülüsoğlu, 32, while he was heading home with his wife in Istanbul’s Halkalı district. 

After the quarrel ended, Sülüsoğlu reportedly pursued Yılmaz, which resulted in a second quarrel between the two at around 1 a.m. in front of the Yılmaz couple’s home. During the quarrel, Sülüsoğlu pointed a gun at Yılmaz but was shot dead by the latter before firing. An investigation revealed that his gun had blank cartridges.

Yılmaz subsequently informed police and medical teams about the incident. He testified in a police station before being transferred to a court, where he was formally arrested.