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Minister orders large-scale decriminalization operation in Moscow

This followed an incident at the Matveevsky market in which about 20 residents of southern regions tried to recapture from police a man suspected of raping a 15-year-old girl

MOSCOW, July 30 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev has issued instructions to carry out a large-scale special decriminalization operation in Moscow following an incident at the Matveevsky market in which about 20 residents of southern regions tried to recapture from police a man suspected of raping a 15-year-old girl, the ministry press service reports on Tuesday.

A policeman received grave head injury and was rushed to intensive therapy ward. Video footage showing the incident in which he was being battered has been posted on the internet. According to the press service, the special operation will be long-running and will not only involve checks at Moscow market places, but also fight against organized criminal groups and criminal lords.

Earlier, the press service of the ministry’s Moscow department told Tass that police are raiding Moscow markets upon instructions of the city police head, Anatoly Yakunin.

“Within the framework of measures to decriminalize city markets, 470 people were brought to police stations in western Moscow and their criminal records were checked. They were fingerprinted and protocols of administrative violations were filed,” police sources said.

Meanwhile, criminal proceedings under the article “Attempt on the Life of Law Enforcement Officer” have been opened following the attack. Police detained Magomed Rasulov and Khalimat Rasulova suspected of attacking policemen. The investigators will shortly appeal to court with arrest motion, sources from the Russian Investigative Committee told.

Suspect Magomed Magomedov has been detained within the framework of a criminal case over the rape of an underage girl on July 26. The girl has identified the rapist. He also confessed to the rape, and his confession was confirmed during a face-to-face questioning.