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Man shot during Istanbul protests dies

23 May 2014 02:47 (UTC +04:00)

Ugur Kurt, 30, was attending a funeral procession in an Alevi prayer house in Okmeydani district when his head was reportedly hit by a stray bullet.

The bullet was apparently fired during clashes between police and a group of demonstrators who gathered inOkmeydani to protest last week's coal mine tragedy in western Turkey, as well as the death of an Istanbul teenager, Berkin Elvan, who was fatally injured during 2013's Gezi Park protests.

The origin of the bullet that hit Kurt is still unknown, Istanbul Governor Huseyin Avni Mutlu said.

Meanwhile, nine others including seven police officers were wounded after an unidentified explosive thrown by protesters blasted on Thursday night.

The condition of one civilian, who was reportedly wounded in the eye, is critical, according to hospital sources.

A group of protesters continued to throw Molotov cocktails and stones to the riot police, whereas police was firing tear gas and rubber bullets, an Anadolu Agency correspondent reported from the scene.