One person was shot dead and another was injured during a row involving a recently introduced smoking ban in a bar in western Turkey on Wednesday, the Turkish newspaper Today's Zaman reported.
Four men were smoking and drinking in a bar in the Aegean province of Manisa when the bar owner and his friend told them to put out their cigarettes in accordance with the government smoking ban. The smokers refused to do so and a dispute erupted, according to the newspaper, reported Xinhua.
One of the smokers shot the bar owner's friend dead and injured the owner in the dispute and then fled the scene, said the report.
It said the wounded bar owner was taken to hospital and the Turkish gendarmerie is searching for the suspects.
A smoking ban came into effect across Turkey on July 19, extending an earlier prohibition on smoking to all indoor areas including cafes, bars and restaurants.
Those who smoke in a forbidden area will be fined 69 Turkish liras and business place owners will have to pay a penalty of up to 5,600 Turkish liras if they allow such violations, according to the ban.
Officials from Turkey's Health Ministry have carried out 20,019 inspections since the extensive smoking ban was adopted and made 2, 424 warnings during the operations, while no business places have yet been fined, said the newspaper.