The body a 26-year-old Emomali Davlatov, who was brutally killed in the Russian city of St. Petersburg, was returned to Tajikistan on January 26, an official source within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) told Asia-Plus.

According to him, the Tajik Diaspora in St, Petersburg and the Tajikistan Consulate General in St. Petersburg have assisted in sending the body of Emomali Davlatov home.  The body was returned to Tajikistan by a plane of Ural Airlines

As it had been reported earlier, the body of Emomali Davlatov, who had worked in St. Petersburg as taxi driver, was found on January 23 inside a taxi cab parked in the territory of Pulokovo Airport in St. Petersburg.   

Russian media reports say there were several stab wounds on the body of Davlatov, including in the area of the throat and the occiput.  

CCTV footage reportedly shows four people were in the car before the murder. According to preliminary information, the deceased was a taxi driver and brought three passengers to the airport; a conflict that apparently occurred between the men ended in murder.

The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation has instituted criminal proceedings under the provisions of Article 105 (1) of Russia’s Penal Code – murder; an investigation is under way.  

Emomali Davlatov reportedly arrived in St. Petersburg in late December for the purpose of work.    

The Embassy of Tajikistan in Moscow has reportedly sent an official note to the relevant agencies of the Russian Federation to clarify the details of the incident.

“The case is being considered seriously and the law enforcement agencies of Russia are taking efforts to carry out a fair investigation in accordance with the law,” says a statement posted on the Embassy’s Facebook.