Official car which ran over and killed child in Bitlis 'belongs to corps commander'

Sinan Aygül / DUVAR

An 11-year-old child died in the eastern province of Bitlis' Ahlat district after being hit by a vehicle, which is alleged to be the official service car of the 9th Army Corps Commander Major General Erhan Uzun.

The accident occurred in Ahlat's Tunus neighborhood. The child named İbrahim Kırtay was playing in front of his house when he was hit by a military car with a civilian license plate.

The car was part of a convoy that was in the district to join the celebrations held for the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Manzkiert (Malazgirt) on Aug. 24. 

İbrahim's grandfather Bahattin Kırtay, a member of the Ahlat Municipal Council from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), said that the car did not stop despite hitting the child.

“The car did not stop all the way until in front of the Gendarmerie Command. We have later found out that it was the official car of the 9th Army Corps Commander. We expect for a fair investigation to be conducted and for those who are responsible to receive the necessary punishment,” Kırtay said.

The family's lawyer Cemal Demir said eyewitnesses' statements confirm the car moving very fast. “The car probably did not try to stop while hitting [the child], because there was no sign of tire scratch on the road,” Demir said.

There has not yet been an official statement released with regards to the incident.

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