16:23, 29 October 2022

Video of detention of resident of Dagestan for shooting at wedding sparks disputes in Web

A man fired a submachine gun at a wedding party in Kizlyar. Screenshot of the video posted on the Telegram channel of the Dagestani Ministry of Internal Affairs https://t.me/mvd_dagestan/2112

A resident of the Tarumovsky District who fired a submachine gun at a wedding in Kizlyar followed the traditions, some Telegram users have pointed out. Their opponents have objected stating that the tradition that violates the public order is out of place.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that although shooting is regarded as an offense, the tradition of shooting at wedding parties is alive in Dagestan. Thus, on October 6, 2021, law enforcers detained a resident of the Kaitag District, who fired from a traumatic pistol during a wedding party held in the village of Madjalis.

The ceremony of shooting at a Caucasian wedding party was treated as a sort of "guardian against the evil eye," but the ancient tradition has long turned into an element of fun, Caucasian scholars pointed out in 2018.

Policemen in Kizlyar detained a 26-year-old resident of the Tarumovsky District, who shot at the wedding party from a blanked submachine gun. According to his version, he had rented the weapon to shoot at the wedding party of his acquaintances, the Dagestani Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has reported in its Telegram channel.

"What's wrong with that? It's normal. Before, they used to shoot like that, and everything was fine. Or has anything happen?" the user Milisa has asked.

"This custom was usual some 200 years ago. Then, in this way our ancestors made it known that the bride was already on the way, so that the groom's house should get ready to receive the guests. Now, there's no such need," the user Mandalorian has written.

Other commentators spoke out against shooting at weddings.

"Shooting such weapons is prohibited in public places," the user Polina has stated.

In recent years, shooting at weddings in Dagestan has become less frequent; this practice may completely disappear from republic's cities, editors-in-chief of local mass media have noted.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on October 29, 2022 at 08:16 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.