Üsküdar acting mayor Gültekin laid to rest as Erdoğan attends funeral

Üsküdar acting mayor Dündar Ziya Gültekin, who died in a traffic accident in Düzce, was laid to rest after a funeral prayer at Istanbul’s Grand Çamlıca Mosque following Friday prayers. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the ceremony.

A funeral was held for Üsküdar acting mayor Dündar Ziya Gültekin, who died in a traffic accident on the Düzce section of the Anatolian Motorway while traveling to Ankara. A ceremony was first held outside the Üsküdar Municipality building, where family members, relatives, colleagues and residents paid their final respects.

Gültekin was laid to rest after a funeral prayer held at the Grand Çamlıca Mosque following Friday prayers. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, along with many politicians and residents, attended the ceremony.

Erdoğan: “May God be our helper”

Speaking before the prayer, Erdoğan recalled that Gültekin had recently taken on an important role in Üsküdar and died in a traffic accident on his way to Ankara. Noting that the head of the Presidency of Religious Affairs had performed the customary rites, Erdoğan said he forgave the deceased, offered patience to his family and said: “May God be our helper.”

Gültekin died on Oct. 15 when the car he was traveling in collided with another vehicle heading in the same direction as he traveled from Istanbul to Ankara to take part in an election at the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye.