In Dagestan, the police did not initiate a case against a chess player who tried to poison her opponent with mercury

The Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Makhachkala refused to initiate a case of causing moderate harm (Article 112 of the Criminal Code) against chess player Amina Abakarova, who treated her opponent’s table with mercury. This was reported by RIA Novosti with reference to a letter from the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

“I was sent for a medical examination, and because there were no consequences, no bodily injuries, [the case] was not opened. It is clear that there will be no bodily harm, we are talking about evaporation and inhalation of a toxic substance,” injured chess player Umaiganat Osmanova told the agency.

The decision to refuse will be checked by the prosecutor's office of the Sovetsky district of Makhachkala, the police added.

On August 7, 40-year-old Amina Abakarova spilled mercury on Osmanova’s table during the republican chess championship. During the game, Osmanova became ill and needed medical attention. Doctors suggested that the chess player could have been poisoned by fumes of a toxic substance.

The Baza Telegram channel wrote that Abakarova decided on her act out of revenge. According to the publication, at the end of July the chess player lost the match to Osmanova.

The injured chess player, in a conversation with RIA Novosti, noted that she did not know the “reason for the action” of her opponent. Osmanova also did not receive an apology from Abakarova.

In August, President of the Russian Chess Federation Andrei Filatov announced Abakarova’s suspension from official competitions “pending the conclusion of law enforcement agencies.” He admitted that the chess player could be given a lifelong disqualification.