The tragic events in Talgar - the brutal murder of a teenager Sherzat Polat - have caused a huge public outcry. In this regard, on 15 October, a joint briefing was held by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the General Prosecutor's Office, during which the First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Baurzhan Alenov and the prosecutor of the Almaty region Berik Adamov spoke about how the investigation is progressing.
On 4 October, a mass brawl took place in the city of Talgar near one of the shops, during which 16-year-old Sherzat Polat died from a knife wound, and another two people sustained bodily harm. On the night of 12 October, for reasons as yet unknown, the house of the deceased teenager's family burned down. Immediately after this incident, an operations centre was set up at the scene, and the family was placed under guard.
The reason for holding the press conference, according to Baurzhan Alenov, was the publication on social media of footage from CCTV cameras capturing the events of that fateful night when Sherzat was killed. To prevent the spread of fake information, the department decided to show the full video recording and clarify the details of the situation.
Judging by the video footage, the main suspect – a customer – paid for the item (beer) and left the shop. He later returned and asked the shopkeeper - Karzhauabai Nurymov (the deceased's father) to charge his phone, and after some time came back for it. What happened next is unknown. The external CCTV cameras captured the suspect already outside with a bloodied face.
The footage shows the father reprimanding his son for, allegedly, hitting the customer. Judging by the recording, Sherzat's father helps the victim wash his face. He later returns to the shop, where another customer enters – another suspect. Some kind of argument breaks out between the men. And after a while, Karzhauabai Nurymov runs out after the suspect into the street holding an object, resembling a knife.
It is worth noting that previously, according to the deceased's relatives, the media spread information that the cause of the conflict was supposedly the customer refusing to pay for the beer, which is refuted by the video recordings. Later, another version emerged that the customer had supposedly insulted the shopkeeper, whose son Sherzat Polat defended him.
For now, only one thing can be assumed - the situation is not as clear-cut as it might have initially seemed. It is probably too early to draw any conclusions and it is necessary to wait for the results of the investigation. As Alenov noted, all the main suspects have already been detained, and all necessary investigative actions are currently being carried out.
It is also worth noting that on 7 October, dozens of local residents took to the streets for a rally, demanding a fair investigation and punishment for all those responsible. During the briefing, representatives of state bodies promised to ensure maximum transparency at all stages of the investigation and to inform the public of its results. It has been reported that the court process will be held in open session.
Furthermore, according to the speakers, an equally important aspect is support for the victims. The family of the deceased is currently under protection, and National Guard forces have been deployed to maintain law and order in the city. It is noted that all efforts are aimed at protecting citizens and preventing the escalation of violence.
Unfortunately, the tragic events in Talgar have become a stark example of how disinformation can distort the perception of reality and exacerbate conflict. Various kinds of calls and incitements continue to appear on social media. In this regard, the editorial board of FBRK strongly recommends that readers not give in to provocations, trust only official sources, and await the results of the investigation.