At the Tokuçzade Mosque in Alaşehir, the mosque's imam, N.Y., was attacked by an individual identified as M.K. (35) who approached from behind while he was leading the evening prayer.
M.K., who is reported to have mental health issues, began striking Imam N.Y. on the head with a plastic stool. While Imam N.Y. attempted to protect himself from the blows, the mosque congregation struck the attacker with a fan and stools.
Seeing the congregation rushing toward him, M.K. fled the mosque. Upon notification, police teams arrived at the scene and apprehended M.K. after reviewing security camera footage.
Following his interrogation at the police station, M.K. was referred to the Manisa Mental and Nervous Diseases Hospital.
Mehmet Cesur, who was in the mosque during the incident, stated that the attacker did not have sound mental health, saying, "We were performing the evening prayer; he first coughed, then profanities came out of his mouth.
We were performing the second rak'ah of the evening prayer when someone behind the imam hit him slowly with a stool. When he started hitting hard during the third rak'ah, the imam broke his prayer. We got up and intervened, but he ran away."
News Source: İHA
