DUSHANBE, January 3, 20112, Asia-Plus  -- The Interior Ministry says the deadly stabbing attack of 24-year-old Parviz Davlatbekov dressed as Farther Frost had just rowdy motives.

The Interior Ministry spokesman Mahmadullo Asadulloyev, in particular, notes that report released by some media outlets that Parviz Davlatbekov was attacked for dressing as Father Frost does not correspondent to the fact.  “Persons who attacked him were in a state of drunkenness.  Following a vocabulary quarrel, they sustained two stab wounds on him.”

Besides Sharif Davlatov, Farrukh Samiyev and Firouz Nazrulloev who were arrested on suspicion of having been involved in that crime, two other persons are wanted by police, the spokesman added.

We will recall that 24-year-old resident of Dushanbe, Parviz Davlatbekov, dressed as Father Frost was stabbed to death on the night of December 31.

Parviz’s relatives say he was attacked for dressing as Father Frost to attend "un-Islamic" New Year celebrations.  According to them, a group of young men attacked him and inflicted multiple stab wounds on him.  The assailants were shouting, accusing Parviz of religious unfaithfulness, the relatives said.

The Interior Ministry says a young man with multiple stab wounds was taken to one of hospitals in Dushanbe, where he died on January 2, despite efforts of physicians.

The third-year student from Tajik National University Sharif Davlatov and two other persons, namely, Farrukh Samiyev and Firouz Nazrulloev were arrested on suspicion of having been involved in that crime, the source added.

Meanwhile, Parviz’s relatives say he was attacked for dressing as Father Frost to attend “un-Islamic” New Year celebrations.  According to them, Parviz decided to congratulate his relatives on New Year and dressed up as Father Frost.  On his way home, when Parviz came up to the entrance of the apartment building in which he lived, a group of young men and teenagers numbering 30 people attacked him and inflicted multiple stab wounds on him, shouting “Tu kofiri” (you are unfaithful).

The head of the Council of Ulamo (a group of scholars and imams that provides interpretations of religious practice), Saidmukarram Abduqodirzoda, told reporters on December 30 that celebrating New Year’s, decorating the Christmas tree and dancing around the Christmas tree contradict both Islamic laws and Tajik traditions.

Under Tajikistan’s law on holidays, New Year’s Day is an official holyday of Tajikistan and New Year’s morning performances are organized on this occasion at schools and kindergartens.

Every year, the President on December 31 congratulates the nation in a televised address scheduled to coincide with the New Year''s celebrations.