Investigation permit granted for Saray Mayor Acar

The Ministry of Interior has issued a statement regarding the granting of an investigation permit for Davut Acar, the Mayor of the Saray district in Van.

The statement noted, "The investigation by the Civil Inspector regarding the stray dog attack that occurred in the Saray district of Van on April 29, 2026, which resulted in the death of 5-year-old Hamza Özsoy and the injury of 9-year-old Ayaz Özsoy, has been completed.

As a result of the detailed examinations conducted, it has been determined that the Saray Municipality failed to fulfill its legal obligations regarding the collection, care, and rehabilitation of stray animals. It was observed that the municipality did not carry out any collection activities despite numerous written and verbal applications made by citizens, neighborhood heads (muhtars), and official institutions."

In the statement, which mentioned that an investigation permit was granted for Saray Mayor Acar, it was stated, "Contrary to the municipality's claim that it did not collect stray animals due to a 'lack of vehicles,' it has been proven with official records that the relevant service vehicle had been returned to the municipality.

As a result of the evaluation made in line with the statements of all relevant parties and concrete documents, an investigation permit has been granted for Saray Mayor Davut Acar, who was found to have responsibility and negligence in the tragic incident. Our Ministry will meticulously continue its determination to protect the safety of our citizens and ensure that public officials fulfill their responsibilities completely," it said.