Alikhan Tsakaev. Photo: Chechnya’s Emergency Situations Ministry
The head of Chechnya’s Emergency Situations Ministry was forcibly detained by traffic police in the neighbouring North Caucasus republic of Dagestan for driving while intoxicated, Telegram channel NIYSO reported on Wednesday.
Traffic police at the Gerzel checkpoint between Dagestan and Chechnya attempted to stop Alikhan Tsakaev’s car according to Telegram channel Baza, but rather than stop, Tsakaev apparently turned his car around and attempted to run over police officers as he did so. Police then surrounded the car and detained Tsakaev, who is said to have been visibly intoxicated and who did not have any form of ID on him.
Law enforcement officers from Chechnya arrived on the scene shortly afterwards and transported both Tsakaev and his car away from the checkpoint. Neither the authorities in Chechnya or Dagestan, nor the Emergency Situations Ministry have so far commented on the incident.
Tsakaev grew up in the same village as Chechen head Ramzan Kadyrov, who has repeatedly referred to him as his “dear brother”. In 2007, Kadyrov awarded Tsakaev the Order of Akhmat Kadyrov, Chechnya’s highest decoration.
News outlet Caucasus Realities, the North Caucasus branch of Radio Free Europe, alleged that Tsakaev had personally participated in torture during his as head of the republic’s riot police.
