Drones brought in to prevent use of guns in weddings in Black Sea district

TOKAT – Anadolu Agency

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A district administration in the Black Sea province of Tokat has decided to start using two multicopter drones to prevent the traditional firing of weapons during weddings.

Shooting guns or rifles in the air in celebration remains a tradition in some parts of Turkey, especially in rural areas. Many people are accidentally wounded or killed in these shootings.

The Erbaa district of Tokat province decided to buy two multicopter surveillance drones to be used by gendarmerie and police forces in the district to monitor wedding ceremonies. The drones will be purchased within the next two weeks.

Erbaa Local Administrator Abdulkadir Demir said they had seized more than 10 guns in weddings in the last month alone.

“We are determined to end this [use of arms in weddings]. Fireworks are also banned. We have conducted almost 200 checks in weddings and given fines around 20,000 Turkish Liras so far,” Demir said, adding that two people had been wounded in weddings due to firearms so far this year.

He also said 77 people had fined a total of 14,553 liras so far this year in the district after inappropriately using fireworks. Demir added that the police had seized four guns, 24 blank guns, 32 bullets, and five rifles from wedding ceremonies.

In addition to monitoring wedding ceremonies, the new drones could also be used to monitor and prevent forest fires in the district, he also said.