Famous Turkish novelist commits suicide

ISTANBUL

Hürriyet photo

Turkish novelist Metin Kaçan, known best for his hit novel "Ağır Roman" (Cholera Street), committed suicide by jumping off the Bosphorus Bridge, daily Hürriyet reported.
 
Kaçan took a cab Jan. 6, supposedly on his way to Üsküdar, when he asked the driver to stop so he could take pictures.
 
When the vehicle stopped, however, Kaçan ran toward the bridge and jumped off.
 
Kaçan's brother confirmed the death on Jan. 8, two days after the novelist went missing.
 
Kaçan had been convicted of torturing and raping a former girlfriend and sentenced to eight years and nine months in prison. He was released on bail after eight months. 
 
Kaçan's well-known "Ağır Roman," which follows the lives of the residents of Taksim's less glamorous Tarlabaşı, was published in 1990. Kaçan's successful and authentic portrayal of the backstreets of Istanbul made the novel a great hit, and it was soon adapted for the big screen. 
 
Turkish director Mustafa Altıoklar directed the movie of the same name.