The taxi driver, who was talked about in Turkey, described those moments: "I escaped with my reflexes; it could have cut off my head."

Hakan Paktan (49), who was attacked with a knife by Emirhan Ü. (18) who got into his taxi in Manisa and attempted to rob him, recounted the moments.

The incident occurred on November 29 at 00:00. Emirhan Ü. arrived at the taxi stand in the Şehzadeler district and got into the taxi driven by Hakan Paktan, intending to go to the Akgedik neighborhood in the Yunusemre district. When they arrived at the address, the taxi driver Paktan told Emirhan Ü. the fare. Emirhan Ü. said he would pay by card and asked for the POS device. While the taxi driver was entering the fare into the POS device, Emirhan Ü. pulled out the knife from his waist and lunged at the driver's chest. With a sudden reflex, taxi driver Paktan grabbed the sharp part of the knife with his hand and struggled with Emirhan Ü. inside the vehicle for a while. During the struggle, taxi driver Paktan unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the vehicle. Emirhan Ü. also fled the scene. After the incident, Emirhan Ü. was caught by gendarmerie teams and was released by the court to be tried without detention. After the incident became a topic of discussion, the individual was taken into custody again.

HE WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AGAIN

After the security camera footage from inside the vehicle was revealed, a new detention order was issued for Emirhan Ü. The police took Emirhan Ü. into custody again. In a written statement regarding the matter, the Manisa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office stated, "On November 29, 2024, at around 00:00, in our province, in the Akgedik neighborhood of Yunusemre district, regarding the attack on taxi driver H.P., the suspect Emirhan Ü. has been taken into custody as part of the investigation initiated by our Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, and a judicial control order has been applied by the Peace Criminal Court. After the images of the incident inside the commercial vehicle were presented to our Chief Public Prosecutor's Office by the law enforcement units on December 12, 2024, an examination was conducted, and since these images constitute new evidence, a detention order has been issued for the suspect by our Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. The investigation is being conducted meticulously," it was stated.

"HE COULD HAVE CUT MY HEAD OFF SITTING IN THE BACK SEAT"

Hakan Paktan, a taxi driver for 4 years who was injured on his left hand while trying to escape the robbery attempt, said, "I picked up a passenger at 23:00 that day. He said he was going to Akgedik. After getting into the car, he opened his arm and said, 'They stabbed me.' I started to get suspicious and began to talk. I kept asking questions. While we were driving, he said, 'Brother, I'm feeling very cramped, can I open the window?' I became even more suspicious. We moved a little further, he opened the zipper of his pocket but didn't take anything out. This made me even more uneasy. When we arrived at the place he was getting off, he asked, 'How much is it?' I said, '550 lira.' He said he would pay by credit card. I entered the fare into the POS. I handed him the card for it to go through. He took it and asked, 'How much did you enter?' then pulled out a knife from his pocket and waved it. I saved myself with my reflexes; I could have died. It was an advantage that he was sitting in the seat next to me instead of the back seat. He could have cut my head off if he was in the back seat. During the struggle, I only thought about taking the knife from his hand and saving myself," he said.

"HIS MOTHER SAID 'GET HIM LOCKED UP, I WILL PRAY FOR YOU'"

Paktan reacted to the release of the suspect after the incident, saying, "I went crazy when I learned he was released. I filed a complaint. His uncle and mother also filed a complaint. His mother and father came to me that day and said, 'Get him locked up. I will pray for you.' We filed a complaint, and then I saw he was released. How can he be released? I went to the courthouse. I even paid a fee for the petition there. I am a victim and I paid 150 lira for the petition. The footage was in the hands of a company that taxi drivers in Izmir are affiliated with. They told me, 'They still don't want to come and get these recordings.' I submitted the petition, and two days later, the prosecutor's office requested the footage. When the footage arrived, they sent it to me. I took a picture of it and shared it with my friends, saying, 'This is the person, be cautious.' But I am checking if a case has been opened in UYAP. There is still no case or anything. I escaped death, but nothing has been done so far. If it weren't for the media, this incident would have been closed," he said.

After what he experienced, Paktan also stated that he quit being a taxi driver, saying, "I was retired from a factory that produces air conditioning and cooling systems; I was working for my child." Emin Elverişli, a board member responsible for taxis at the Manisa Chamber of Drivers and Automobile Owners, also said, "As taxi drivers, we provide a public service. People entrust us with their children. A few ignorant people are putting our lives at risk. We have a request from our security forces. Please inspect us everywhere. There are friends working at night. Manisa is growing, and problems are increasing. The situation is evident. I wish everyone well," he said.

TAXI DRIVERS PROTESTED

On the other hand, taxi drivers gathered in front of the Manisa Provincial Gendarmerie Command to protest and condemn the attack on Paktan. Taxi drivers, who hung Turkish flags on their vehicles, honked their horns as they drove around Manolya Square to protest the attack. Paktan, who was attacked, also participated in the protest.