Russian chess player Amina Abakarova© X (Twitter)
In a spine-chilling incident that has surfaced from the world of chess, a Russian chess player is said to have poisoned her opponent by spilling mercury on the board and pieces. The said player entered the room before the start of the match, went to an opponent's desk, and spilled mercury all over the board and pieces. The entire episode was caught on CCTV. The chess star accused of such a doing is said to be named Amina Abakarova. The opponent she poisoned was her childhood rival Umayganat Osmanova. Abakarova has been arrested by the police for the act and could be handed at least three years of imprisonment if found guilty, as per reports.
"A chess tournament in the Russian republic of Dagestan took a dramatic turn when a player was accused of poisoning her opponent with mercury. Amina Abakarova approached her opponent's table before the start of the match and spilled mercury near the chessboard," UNITED24 Media wrote on social media while sharing the video.
"Umaiganat Osmanovan fell ill during the tournament and required medical attention. Abakarova was subsequently detained," the social media account wrote in another post.
— UNITED24 Media (@United24media) August 7, 2024A chess tournament in the Russian republic of Dagestan took a dramatic turn when a player was accused of poisoning her opponent with mercury.
Amina Abakarova approached her opponent's table before the start of the match and spilled mercury near the chessboard. pic.twitter.com/vh2YpVmpDU
The incident caught the eye of Sazhida Sazhidova, minister of sport, Dagestan. In a chat with Mirror US, Sazhidova said: "Like many others, I am perplexed by what happened, and the motives of such an experienced competitor as Amina Abakarova are incomprehensible. The actions she took could have led to a most tragic outcome, threatening the lives of everyone who was present, including herself. Now she must answer for what she did by the law."
The probe has already been started. Abakarova said that the reason behind her act was "personal hostility" as she was defeated by Umayganat Osmanova in a regional contest earlier.