You're reading: Suspected murderers of ‘Santa Claus’ detained in Tajikistan

Dushanbe - The Tajik police have detained three suspected murderers of Parvis Davlatbekov who was dressed up as Santa Claus, the ministry reported on Tuesday.

The murder was committed on Monday morning in Dushanbe when Davlatbekov was heading for the home of his relatives whom he wanted to congratulate on New Year.

"Third-years students of Tajik National University Sharif Davlatov, Farrukh Samiyev and Firus Nazrulloyev have been detained in relation to Davlatbekov’s murder," the ministry report says.

The relatives of the killed and ministry sources say that Davlatbekov was murdered for religious motives as the murderers were shouting "Tu kofiri" ("You infidel") when they were beating him.

Tajik social networks link the murder with the fact that several days before New Year head of the Council of Ulamas of Tajikistan Saidmukarram Abdukodirzoda told journalists that decorating the Christmas tree, dancing and playing around was alien to Tajik culture and contradicted the laws of Islam.