Turkish man burns lover to death after dispute

ANTALYA - Doğan News Agency

Çilem Hülya Berkil was 30 years-old. She was brutally killed by her boyfriend as they were heading to Turkey’s popular vacation provinc Antalya. DHA photo

A young woman has allegedly been burned to death by her boyfriend in the southern province of Antalya after a dispute, during which he doused his girlfriend with a can of petrol and set her on fire.

The incident happened on the highway in Antalya’s Döşemealtı district on Aug. 22. The dispute between the couple turned violent, after which Abdurrahman Göçer dragged Çilem Hülya Berkil out of the car, pouring fuel on her and setting it on fire.

Göçer, 37, and Berkil, 30, left their home in Ankara to spend a holiday in the Turkey’s popular southern vacation destination.

According to eyewitnesses who were passing by on the road with their cars, Göçer tried to extinguish the fire but failed to do so. People in the area also ran to the scene and tried to put out the fire.

Man arrested

An ambulance arriving at the scene took the badly injured Berkil to Akdeniz University Hospital, from which she was sent to İzmir State Hospital for further treatment. However, despite all efforts to save her, Berkil died shortly after being admitted.

Göçer was taken to the Antalya Provincial Gendarmerie Command for interrogation. He was later referred to a court in Antalya, which arrested him and sent him to prison pending trial.