Father of teen who attacked police post in Chechnya abducted in Moscow and taken to Chechnya

The father of 17-year-old Eskarkhan Khumashev, who attacked a traffic police checkpoint in Chechnya’s Achkhoi-Martan, was taken to Chechnya with broken ribs, arms, and legs, according to the opposition Telegram channel Niyso. His brothers were allegedly abducted along with him.

According to information gathered by OC Media, Eskharkhan Khumashev’s father is named Eldar Khumashev, and he is 44-years-old.

Russian independent media outlet Agentstvo also confirmed the name and age of the abducted man.

On the evening of 7 April 2025, an attack took place on a road patrol post in the Chechen town of Achkhoi-Martan. Armed with a knife, 17-year-old Eskarkhan Khumashev attacked police officers, injuring two of them. One of the officers, Ramzan Dubaev, later died. Khumashev was shot dead at the scene.

According to Niyso and the Russian independent media outlet Caucasian Knot, the motive for the attack may have been a personal conflict between Eskarkhan Khumashev and one of the police officers, who allegedly insulted and humiliated him. Neighbours say the officer had recently returned from Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine and had become unstable. Khumashev reportedly returned the next day seeking revenge but, approaching from behind, attacked another police officer  by mistake.

According to the Russian Investigative Committee, following the attack, a criminal case was under the article concerning an attempt on the life of a law enforcement officer.

Following the incident, Khumashev’s body was put on public display outside the administration building of the Achkhoi-Martan municipal district and local residents, including schoolchildren, were reportedly forced to attend a rally to publicly condemn the attack.

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the video showing the teenager’s body displayed in the square, stating that the Kremlin ‘does not rely on information disseminated by opposition channels and has no verified information on this matter’.

‘We certainly would not like to rely on information spread by opposition Telegram channels. We do not consider these sources reliable. We have no other information’, Peskov said.

Chechen Head Ramzan Kadyrov also called for the expulsion of Eskarkhan Khumashev’s relatives from Chechnya and the confiscation of their property.  According to Niyso, these relatives were abducted the day of the rally, although some of them reportedly had never even met Eskarkhan Khumashev. One of the abducted individuals, for example, was said to be the second cousin of Eskarkhan Khumashev’s grandfather. On Thursday evening, those abducted were released, following the abduction of Eskarkhan Khumashev’s father and uncles.

Caucasian Knot, citing local residents, wrote that Eldar Khumashev had not been residing with his son, and that instead the family was based in the Tsaritsyno district of Moscow.

Based on information collected by OC Media, both of Eskarkhan Khumashev’s parents were registered at the same address, in addition to his maternal aunt and younger sister Elvira.

OC Media reached out to members of the Khumashev family for comment, but has not heard back as of the time of publication.

According to Niyso, after they reported on Eskarkhan Khumashev’s body being on display, Chechen security forces abducted six relatives of Niyso members, including a 73-year-old man. These videos were shared not only by Niyso but also by BAZA, a Telegram channel with known ties to law enforcement.

Kadyrov demands the deportation of relatives of assailant killed after attacking police

The expulsion of relatives of criminals from the region is not provided for by Russian law.

OC MediaElizaveta Chukharova