The image of a Kurdish man badly injured in the Diyarbakir bomb blasts two days ago, casting his vote during the Turkey election day polling on Sunday has become popular on social media.
Earlier on Sunday, about 53.7 million Turkish voters took part in one of the most closely watched elections that is bound to impact the standing of the current government under Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The image of the injured man, claimed to be a pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) supporter, casting his vote has now gone viral. It shows bandages on his head and hands while he was casting his vote.
The photograph posted on Twitter by Katre @trajiklambasi claimed that the man suffered wounds two days back, but was back on his feet to cast his vote for the people. Katre ended his post with the note that the HDP was bound to win as it has such supporters.
On 5 June, a deadly blast tore through an election rally organised by the HDP, killing two and injuring at least 200 people. The Turkish government initially claimed that the blasts were caused by a faulty power transformer at the rally site, but later ruled that possibility out.
Guy Martin, a British photographer who was present at the spot, told Reuters that the blasts occurred some five minutes apart - the first in a rubbish bin which was ripped apart and the second in front of a power generator.
"It was a heart-shaking, ribcage-shaking noise, he said of one of the blasts. The most terrifying thing is that crush of people. It was chaos, I couldn't move, people were panicking."
"The police started firing teargas at people who were helping the injured or fleeing the scene.. this enflamed the situation," he told Reuters.
According to Hurriyet Daily News, the HDP, which focuses on Kurdish problems, could change the dynamics of political power in Turkey. The report noted that if the HDP is able to get even 10 per cent of seats, it would considerably weaken the ruling AKP's hold in the parliament.
The Telegraph observed that the increasing popularity of the HDP is a threat to the 13-year domination of the AKP in Turkey.
