THIS is the shocking moment a man dressed as the grim reaper set himself on fire in Turkey's biggest city of Istanbul.
Horror footage too graphic to publish shows the man, his body completely consumed by flames, raising his arms to the sky before dropping to his knees.
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It took place in front of Istanbul's famous Galata Tower, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Turkey.
The distressed man, named locally as 28-year-old Abdullah Cihat Turan P, is seen dressed as the grim reaper in black robes and carrying a scytheand petrol can in his hands.
He was reportedly spotted walking around the cobblestoned square for some time before setting himself alight.
In the clip, horrified passers-by watch on as flames leap from the man's body, while some even appear to take selfies.
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A man and woman are seen holding a phone aloft with their backs to the sickening events taking place behind them.
Eventually, two workers from nearby shops and restaurants grab fire extinguishers and are able to douse the flames.
Reports in Turkey say it isn't clear why the man carried out such a grisly act of self-immolation, and the extent of his injuries isn't known.
A later video shared online by Turkish media appears to show the aftermath of the incident.
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In it, the man is seen screaming after the flames have been put out, with skin and charred clothing hanging from his arms.
A third video shows the man leaning back on rubbish bags after being extinguished, while people tuck into their meals on a restaurant terrace just metres away.
Many Twitter users commented why none of the onlooking tourists did anything to help.
Ragip Soylu, Turkey Bureau Chief for Middle East Eye, tweeted: "Someone in Istanbul's Galata set himself ablaze. Some tourists continued to take selfies as the guy was burning."
Another wrote: "It was a tragedy for those who watched and photographed the man who burned himself in Galata yesterday.
"But that man burned himself, the clothes and the fact that there was a woman in a red dress among those who took selfies when he burned himself, when you collect all of these, you need to think more carefully!"
Some tourists continued to take selfies as the guy was burning
Ragip SoyluTurkey Bureau Chief, Middle East Eye
However, pictures reportedly taken the same day show the man in his grim reaper costume posing for photos with tourists, indicating many people may have believed it was a performance.
Authorities have not said how serious the man's injuries were.
Local media reports that the man suffered second and third-degree burns and remains in hospital in a serious condition.
The Istanbul Governorship said in a statement on May 31: "Today, at around 6.30pm, a person named ACTP, registered to the population of Meram County in Konya, attempted to set himself on fire with a flammable substance he poured on himself near the Galata Tower in our Beyoglu district.
"With the intervention of citizens in the area, the flames were extinguished and our 112 Emergency Health teams transferred him to hospital.
"The hospital treatment of the person continues, and an investigation has been initiated regarding the incident.
Police have also seized the man's tablet and belongings to look for clues as to why he set himself on fire.
The horror unfolded in front of the historic 1,500-year-old stone tower in the Beyoglu district which is incredibly popular with tourists.
In 2019, Istanbul was the ninth most popular tourist destination in the world, with more than 14.7m foreign visitors.
Britain was Turkey's third-largest tourist market before the Covid pandemic, with nearly 2.6 million Brits traveling to the country in 2019.
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More than 200,000 Brits visited Instanbulin 2020 alone, despite the disruption of the Covid pandemic.
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call TheSamaritansfor free any time, even on a mobile without credit, on 116123.
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