Special forces of the Turkish police (Polis Özel Harekat, PÖH) and Gendarmerie (Jandarma Özel Harekat, JÖH) attacked a family house in the village of Hespenek (Çobandüzü) in the Erciş district northern Kurdistan province of Van Saturday night due to a denunciation. The family was roused by the police and soldiers and asked to leave the house immediately. Before the surprised residents could fulfill the request, gas grenades were thrown into the house. The family left the house barefoot and in nightwear and was battered outside by the special forces.

Before the family was able to understand what was going on, a fire broke out in the house. The family was prevented from extinguishing the fire and had to spend hours outdoors. Due to the fire, the inner parts of the house were destroyed, and the dowry of a wedding planned for next week burned among other things.

Mehmet Polat explained as one of the victims, that the family members were forced to lie down on the ground: "We were not even allowed to call the fire department. Our house has been lit and searched. If we are offenders and deserve such treatment, why was nothing found in the search conducted in the house?"