Mejnun Vahidov killed in terror attack
A leading Azeri chess problem composer was one of 14 victims of a student gumnan
who went on the rampage in Baku on 30 April. Mejnun Vahidov, composer of over
200 published chess problems, died from bullet wounds sustained when a gunman
at the Azeri State Oil and Gas Academy stormed through the building, shooting
indiscriminately. He left 13 dead and 15 wounded. The gunman put an end to his
own life.
Vahidov, who had worked at the Academy for over 30 years, was for many years
a leading figure in Azeri chess composition. His 200 published problems include
many prize-winners, especially with the Vladimirov and Nowotny themes, and he
has a number of entries in the prestigious FIDE Albums, selection for which
forms the basis for the award of IM and GM composing titles.
We will return to this tragic subject, once more information becomes available.
If anyone has pictures, stories or examples of Vahidov's composition please
send these to us.
The massacre
Students at Azerbaijan State Oil Academy, a public university located in Baku,
the nation’s capital, ended their Thursday morning terror-stricken after
25 people were shot by a gunman firing at teachers and students from floor to
floor, before finally turning the gun on himself. The man, along with 12 others,
was pronounced dead at the scene of the crime. The shooter has been identified
as Farda Gadyrov, a Georgian citizen of Azeri descent. Gadyrov is being described
by Azeri media as a “loner.” Full
Reuters report on CN.
Addendum
The gunman who perpetrated the rampage at the prestigious Azerbaijani university
on April 30 has been identified as Farda Gadirov, a 29-year-old ethnic Azeri
from neighboring Georgia. Officials said Gadirov was not affiliated with the
State Oil Academy, where the gunman opened fire shortly after classes began,
and the motive for the shootings remained unclear. Gadirov died at the scene,
although there were conflicting reports about whether he committed suicide or
was killed by police. – Radio
Free Europe
