Ganja Grapples With Alarming String of Youth Deaths, Latest a Reported Suicide

Ibrahim Nazarov

A disturbing pattern of young lives lost in Ganja has come into sharp focus following the latest reported incident: the suspected suicide of 19-year-old Ibrahim Nazarov. His death marks the fourth such tragedy involving a teenager or young person in the city over the past two months, raising serious questions and concerns within the community.

According to reports, Ibrahim Nazarov ended his life by hanging. A challenging early life saw him lose his parents at a young age, leading to him being raised by his grandmother and grandfather. While the family resided in the Avtozavod settlement, the tragic incident is said to have occurred in a one-room apartment they owned in another part of Ganja. Ibrahim had been out of contact for three days, prompting his concerned grandfather to visit the apartment. Upon opening the door, he made the harrowing discovery of his grandson’s body. The grandfather immediately alerted the "102" emergency service, bringing police to the scene. An investigation into the incident is currently underway, and it has been noted that Ibrahim Nazarov had a prior conviction. The precise reason for him taking this drastic step remains unknown.

This latest incident is not an isolated event but part of an unsettling series of youth deaths in the city:

• May 12/13: 18-year-old Elgun Ibrahimov, an 11th-grade student, was found in serious condition in an abandoned building in Ganja. Despite being rushed to the hospital, he could not be saved. His mysterious death garnered significant public attention and was "not unequivocally received by the public," according to reports. On May 29, the General Prosecutor's Office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the State Security Service issued a joint statement, asserting that Elgun Ibrahimov was killed after falling from a height.

• June 4: The body of 20-year-old C. Abbasov was discovered by residents in the Heydar Aliyev Park complex. The circumstances surrounding his death have not been disclosed.

• June 18: 15-year-old Umid Niftaliyev was found dead in a car repair shop located in the "Mahsara Gardens" area of Ganja.

The succession of these events – including a reported suicide, a death officially ruled as a killing from a fall, and other unexplained fatalities – paints a grim picture for the youth of Ganja. As investigations continue into these separate yet collectively alarming cases, the community awaits answers regarding the circumstances contributing to this worrying trend.