Police chief commits suicide while being detained in Turkey’s south

HATAY

A police chief committed suicide while police were attempting to detain him over suspected links to the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization/Parallel State Structure (FETÖ/PDY), believed to be behind the July 15 failed coup attempt, in the southern province of Hatay early on Aug. 10.

Police Chief Ahmet Beşli, 39, shot himself in the head with his own weapon in the Belen district of the province during the police operation, Doğan News Agency reported.

Police officers in Hatay went to the police headquarters in Belen at around 12:30 a.m. in order to detain Beşli, who was from the southeastern province of Urfa, and two others. The police went to Beşli’s room after detaining two officers and asked him to hand his weapon over.

Beşli refused to comply with the order and killed himself with the gun. The police who had arrived to detain him witnessed the suicide, according to reports.

He was taken to a private hospital in an ambulance called by the police officers, but succumbed to his wounds despite efforts to save his life.

An investigation into the case was ongoing.

Similar incidents have happened since the operations against the supporters of U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen were launched, with several police officers killing themselves while being detained.