"Beat & Release": Maniac Takes Exception to "Sidelong Glance" and Kills Glancer, in Kars

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 11 April 2025)

                   Best advice: Just look straight ahead.

In Kağızman district of Kars province, at around 4 o'clock in the

afternoon on  6 April,  Yakup Aydın (32) was sitting with a friend

in a cafeteria.  The two got up and headed for the exit. 

However (!), Specialist Sergeant Selman K. (29), sitting by 

himself at a table and looking at his telephone, went up to 

the Aydın and said "why did you look at me sideways?!" 

(famously known in Turkey as a "yan bakma" incident). 

A fight ensued between the Aydın and Selmak K., who then

pulled a gun from his waist and fired at Aydın, who was fleeing

down a staircase.  Aydın died at a hospital and Selman K. was

brought to the courthouse in Kars city, after which he was 

jailed. 

"Fleece & Release": 38 Customs Officials Caught on Secret Camera Taking Bribes, in Kapıkule

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 9 April 2025)

                   They get you coming and going.

At the Kapıkule border crossing on the Bulgarian frontier, 

some customs officials were demanding bribes from those

wanting to enter and exit Turkey.  Based on tips, the Edirne

public prosecutor began an investigation and placed a secret

camera to monitor the officials. 

The Gendarmerie identified 38 customs officials taking bribes

from the secret camera footage and took them all into custody

in simultaneous raids at their home, where searches revealed

$14,600, 21,325 Euros, and 89,800 TL.  In addition, warrants

were issued for the arrest of 350 individuals who paid (!) bribes.

"Trump & Release": Double Murder at "Trump Apart" B&B, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 8 April 2025)

                                 What's in a name?...

The night before last at the Trump Apart (!) B&B on Yavru 

Kuş Street in the Kuştepe neighborhood of Istanbul's Şişli

district, there was a double murder.  Gültekin Gezer and

Kader Küçükcoşkun, living in a ground floor flat in 

the building, answered the doorbell and four masked 

attackers burst in and fired on the unlucky couple. 

Gültekin Bey and Kader hanım, who was pregnant, died

in the onslaught, after which the attackers fled.  A person

in the building next door stated that "We were awakened

by the noise.  We don't know those two people, but they

hadn't been there for long.  The flats in that building are

generally used for a day at a time.  There's no way of 

knowing who's coming and going so we're afraid!"

Big brother a stone's throw away...

TNT History Archives: Once There Was a Railroad Station, in Fenerbahçe

Source: Turkish Railways Social Assistance Association

Fenerbahçe: A railroad station of the Haydarpaşa line, 

later eliminated.

In 1872, the Haydarpaşa-Izmit rail line became the second one in 

Anatolia, after the Izmir-Aydin line, and it was envisioned that it 

would link Istanbul to not only the rest of Anatolia but to the 

Baghdad Railway, as well.  The Haydarpaşa-Izmit line went into 

service on 3 May 1873, with stations at  Haydarpaşa, Kızıltoprak, 

Erenköy, Bostancı, Kartal, Pendik, Tuzla, Gebze, Diliskelesi, 

Tavşancil, Hereke, Darıca and Izmit.  Pendik was the last station 

for Istanbul commuters, with Feneryolu, Göztepe, Suadiye and 

Maltepe stations added later.  

The subject of this article is the Fenerbahçe rail station, which no 

longer exists.  Fenerbahçe was a favorite recreation spot during 

Ottoman times, right on the shore of the Sea of Marmara with 

plenty of greenery all around for picnicking and relaxation for 

families.   But it lacked direct rail service so people would have 

to get off the train at Kızıltoprak and walk down to Fenerbahçe.  

Consequently, at the request of Sultan Abdülaziz, a 1,756-meter 

long spur was built from the Feneryolu station, running across 

Bağdat Avenue and then following the road known today as 

Dr. Faruk Ayanoğlu Avenue to Fenerbachçe, where a two-story 

wooden station house was constructed – the Turkish Railways’s 

social facility still occupies this site, in the northeast corner of 

Fenerbahçe Point.    

The 1.8-kilometer spur went up a hill toward Feneryolu (Fener 

way), so named because it was the turning-off point to reach 

Fenerbahçe Point, requiring the locomotives to push the train 

from behind when heading north toward Feneryolu.  Barriers 

painted red and white,  stopped road and tramway traffic at 

crossing as the train passed along.  Special crossties were used, 

like those used in deserts that prevent the rails from sinking in 

the sand. 

Fenerbahçe station house was built by an Austrian firm and used 

as a station house in summer and as a police station in winter 

months.  During World War I, when an explosion of  ammunition 

being sent to the 4th Army in Palestine devastated Haydarpaşa in

1917, the Fenerbahçe station served as an alternative transport hub 

for supplies being sent to the war front and wounded soldiers 

coming from the Battle of Çanakkale in 1915 were received and 

tended to in houses in the Fenerbahçe neighborhood.  

On 13 November 1918, after the signing of the Mondros “Mütareke”

 (Armistice) that ended WWI for the Ottoman Empire, the Great 

Powers occupied Istanbul, with some English and French military 

authorities settling in Fenerbahce.  Subsequently, the Feneryolu-

Fenerbahçe rail spur was used solely for transporting ammunition 

and then shut down entirely until 1928, when it resumed service.  

However, in 1933 a tram began running in Fenerbahçe that 

obviated the need for the rail spur, so it was closed again.  

On 17 May 1936, though, the spur was activated to accommodate 

Atatürk’s visit to Fenerbahçe, for just that one day, after which it 

was shuttered for good.  There was talk of building a mansion in 

Fenerbahçe for Atatürk but he demurred, saying “building such 

a house for one person would be an exaggeration. Just let the 

people enjoy this place.”  The rails were finally torn up in 1970-

1971.

When the Anatolia-Baghdad Railroad was built in 1872, the station 

chiefs were usually either Armenians or Greeks.  And there was 

always a local grocery shop run by one or the other of these 

minorities. At the Fenerbahçe station there was the Tanas shop on 

one side and the Toma shop on the other.  The first station chief at 

Fenerbahçe was a Frenchman of English citizenship named Antuvan 

Efendi, who lived on the upper floor of the station house with his 

wife and daughters Katrin and Sofi.  The sounds of the girls speaking

French and playing classic music on the piano could be heard through 

the open windows in summer months, creating a pleasant ambiance 

around the station.   

Fenerbahçe Park, near where the station was, is now a favorite

spot for cats and the oldtimers they train to feed them. 

 

"Lift & Release": 10-story Elevator Raises Both Residents and Home Values, in Hopa

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 6 April 2025)

                         They'll miss the exercise (not!).

In Artvin's Hopa district on the Black Sea coast, residents in the 

Kuledibi and Sundura neighborhoods are now able to reach their 

homes in this steep terrain by means of a 10-story elevator that 

has a six-person capacity.  Consequently, home values have risen 

with the elevator's arrival. 

Tourists can also take advantage of the elevator to enjoy the

panoramic view from the upper reaches of the neighborhood.

Resident Emine Aydın uses the elevator frequently, rather 

than climbing up steps, and said "God bless whoever did this.

When there was no elevator we had a very rough time getting

around here. And our flats have gone up in value, too."

"Beat & Release": Teenage Extortionist Flees on Metrobus After Firing on Hotels, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 6 April 2024)

       Racing to get back home in time to get to school.

In the Cihangir neighborhood of Istanbul's Avcılar district at

about 4 o'clock Thursday morning, an individual demanded 

protection money from two hotels.  When he was rebuffed, he

fired on both hotels with an automatic revolver.

Police reviewed security camera footage and saw that the 

culprit had entered a nearby building, changed his clothes and

boarded the metrobus at the Cihangir-Üniversite stop, fleeing

the area. 

Both his clothes and the weapon were found in the building

the suspect entered after his attack.  Police identified the 

extortionist as E.Y. (17!)  and nabbed him, after which he was

jailed. 

 

"Beat & Release": Grandmother Gets Jail Time For Striking Granddaughter With Her "Terlik" (House Slipper), in Pamukkale

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 5 April 2025)

Don't mess with this Grandma! Armed and dangerous!

In Denizli's Pamukkale district on 9 August 2024, Asiye Vural

(18), who lives with her grandmother Asiye Kaytan (80), came

home from work and wanted to go out for the evening.  The

elder Asiye hanım, though, locked the door and wouldn't allow

her granddaughter to leave the house.  When young Asiye 

persisted, her grandmother struck her arm with her "terlik"

(slipper) so young Asilye counterattacked with a blow from

her phone to granny's head (!). 

Grandma Asiye was treated at a hospital for her head wound and

released.  Neither Asiye filed a police complaint against the other

but the public prosecutor did, asking for a jail sentence of up to

14 years (!) for the elder Asiye hanım for "restricting someone's

freedom".  At the court hearing on 24 February, Grandma Asiye

was sentenced to 2 years 6 months in jail.  

However (!), since the "attack on a family member" was 

committed with a "weapon", meaning the "terlik", the sentence

was raised to 4 years 2 months.  An appeals court is reviewing

the verdict but if it's approved then the elder Asiye hanım will

go to jail. 

Grandma Asiye lamented "I went to court and asked that my

granddaughter not be punished.  She wasn't, but I was!  And 

because my 'terlik' is considered a 'weapon' I was sentenced 

to 4 years 2 months in jail. At 80 years of age, I'll go to jail?!

How will I live there?!  I've had an operation and walk with

difficulty!  They're throwing me in jail because of  'anne

terliği' (famous in Turkey since every child has suffered such

a blow from their mother's 'terlik' at one time or another while 

growing up.)  No one should strike a child, but how was I 

supposed to know that a 'terlik' was considered a weapon?!"

As for young Asiye hanım, she opined that "I didn't file a 

complaint, but the state opened the case anyway.  Yet, don't

think a 'terlik' is harmless - don't let anyone strike a child

with one!"

"Flee & Release": Fugitive Struck by Police "Lightning" on Cable Car, in Bursa

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 4 April 2025)

           Nice ski jacket, perfect for unheated jail cell.

Police in Bursa got word that Doğukan Yıldırım (22), a fugitive 

fleeing a 4-year jail sentence for 48 counts of theft and drug use, 

had come to the Uludağ ski resort from Balıkesir.  As Yıldırım

(whose surname means "lightning") was returning to Bursa city 

from Uludağ on the "teleferik" (cable car), police nabbed him and

took him to jail. 

Path of the lightning bolt.

"Slip & Release": Gone Fishing, He Slips on Dog Poop and Falls 5 Meters Down, in Antalya

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Sabah Newspaper, 3 April 2025)

In Anatalya, Alparslan Barış Arıcan (38) was descending 

the "falez" (cliff/sea wall) to go fishing when he slipped on

some dog poop (!) and fell five meters down.  Unable to 

make his voice heard from the depths, Arıcan called his

relative Cüney Öz, who came and then summoned rescuers.

Arriving medics determined that Arıcan's leg was broken

so they put a splint on it and raised him up with ropes on a

stretcher to safety. 

Police have a warrant out for the pooping pooch

and master.

"Chase & Release": Cat Stranded on Utility Pole By Pursuing Dog Rescued by Citizens, in Van

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Sözcü Newspaper, 2 April 2025) 

And it looks like it'll be raining cats and dogs soon.

In Van's Başkale district, a cat that fled from a dog got stranded

on a utility pole it climbed for safety because the dog wouldn't

give up the chase.  After remaining up on the pole for some 

time, passers-by noticed the cat's dilemma and chased away the

dog. 

Cat has since taken refuge in Iran.

"Rent & Release": Landlord Harasses Lady Tenant With "Her" Fake Online Accounts to Raise Rent, in Ankara

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 1 April 2025)

                     G.A. knows a fake when she see it.

In Ankara's Eryaman district, a young woman named G.A.

rented a home owned by V.C., who wanted to raise her rent

more than the allowed 25%.  

When G.A. balked, as of 1 March 2023 she noticed that she

began getting unwanted, sexually-explicit phone calls and

that 4 accounts in "flirting" online programs had been opened

in her name, with details of her neighborhood and friends

included. 

G.A. appealed to public prosecutor Mahmut Kaan Yüksel for 

help and he found that the culprit was (surprise!) V.C.  At the

trial on 14 January, V.C. was found guilty, but in light of his

"clean" record and "good behavior" during the trial process, 

the sentence was deferred. (!)