"Beat & Release": Bride-to-be Hit by Celebratory Gunfire, in Kırşehir

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 4 September 2023)

             Marital bliss starts with an ominous bang.

In Çiftlik village, Köseli township, of Kırşehir's Çiçekdağı district the

night before last, a "kına gecesi"* was celebrated in anticipation of the 

wedding between Merve Yıldırım and Çağrı Altınkaynak.  

However (!), someone began to shoot a hunting rifle into the air as 

part of the celebration and some of the falling buckshot hit prospective

bride Merve hanım (28) (!).  She was taken to a hospital and is said to

be in good condition (whew!).  Meanwhile, Abbas Y. (43) was charged

with firing the rifle but when no one filed a complaint he was released

from Gendarmerie custody.  In his statement, Abbas Y. put it this way:

"I regret it."

* kına gecesi: night before the wedding day; a women's entertainment

when the bride is taken to the public bath and has her fingers and toes

freshly tinged with henna.

Regretful Abbas Y. sought asylum in nearby Yerköy village.