Those accused in Dalgatov's death case are trying to shift the blame onto a former colleague

At the trial of Kurban Dalgatov, who died after being detained at the Sovietsky District Department of Internal Affairs in Makhachkala, two defendants testified, accusing their former colleague, Islam Atavov, of committing the crime.

As reported by the " Caucasian Knot ," on December 9, 2024, a court sentenced Makhachkala police officer Islam Atavov to 7.5 years in prison, finding him guilty in the death of Kurban Dalgatov. Dalgatov's family lawyer, Madina Aliyeva, appealed the verdict, but the Supreme Court of Dagestan upheld it. This decision did not satisfy the victims, and their lawyers announced  a cassation appeal against Atavov's sentence.

On December 12, the Soviet District Court of Makhachkala held another hearing on the case of the death of Kurban Dalgatov, who was detained by police, and the torture of his two friends, Islam Khiyasov and Bulat Atayev, a source close to Dalgatov's family and his injured friends told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to him, in the second half of November and early December, during the presentation of evidence, the defense managed to question two of the six remaining defendants. "Their testimony was almost identical to that given during the investigation, with one exception. Just like during the investigation, they claimed to be innocent and not involved in anything. However, they claimed that another former police officer, Islam Atavov, was guilty and involved," the source reported. He also claimed that Atavov had signed a contract during the trial and died. "Thankfully, he can't answer them now," the source added.

According to him, the remaining four suspects will be interrogated further. 

As a reminder, according to the case file, Islam Atavov played a significant role in the torture of Kurbanov. In August 2025, a lawyer representing Dalgatov's family received the full text of the Supreme Court of Dagestan's ruling on the appeal of Atavov's sentence. According to the ruling, the court found that Atavov "gave incriminating testimony," which was sufficient for a plea bargain. In early October, a source, commenting on the filing of the appeal, reported that rumors had spread in Makhachkala about the death of Atavov and another defendant, Rustam Imranov, in the special military unit; however, there was no official confirmation of this information.

On January 20, 2023, before the arrest of 35-year-old Kurban Dalgatov, a street conflict erupted between two men. According to police, one of them shot his opponent and fled with Dalgatov's help. Kurban Dalgatov was found and detained. His condition worsened at the police station. He was given first aid and taken to the hospital, but doctors pronounced him dead. Relatives stated that Dalgatov died of asphyxiation, which occurred after he was "electrically shocked in the heart." The Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed that he sustained injuries before his death .

There are three victims in the case: in addition to Dalgatov, two of his acquaintances were detained and also tortured. On July 7, the victim  , Bulat Atayev, testified in court about how he was tortured and how he heard Dalgatov's screams.

On July 9, 2024, Makhachkala resident Akhmed Dzhabrailov, arrested for disturbing the peace, died at the same police station. A forensic examination confirmed the family's theory that Dzhabrailov  died of asphyxiation .

According to investigators, one of the security officers beat Dzhabrailov, used a taser on him, and crushed him with his weight, resulting in his death. By September 2024, three police officers had been arrested in connection with Dzhabrailov's death. A fourth suspect was only detained in July 2025, thanks to the insistence of Dzhabrailov's relatives , who demanded the arrest of the security officer. They believe the investigation is attempting to cover up the case.