Rayagada: Deputy Inspector General of Police (South-Western Range) Rajesh Pandit appealed to people not to believe in rumours in connection with Russian tourist Pavel Antov’s death.
“Don’t believe in rumours. We are conducting our investigation in a scientific manner. We will put facts before you after we complete our investigation,” said Pandit briefing reporters here today.
The DIG informed that the investigation is underway and they are waiting for the post-mortem reports.
“We are waiting for the post-mortem reports. Those will be available soon. We will send the viscera of the deceased persons for scientific examination. The reports given by the doctors will be used in our investigation,” said Pandit.
Pandit stated that after visiting the rooms of the hotel he shared conclusions drawn by him with the Rayagada Superintendent of Police (SP).
Antov was a Russian legislator and millionaire who died after a mysterious fall from the third floor of a three-storeyed hotel here last Saturday evening This was the second death of a Russian national within a week in the same hotel.
The millionaire, reportedly a critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was on a vacation in Rayagada where he was celebrating his 65th birthday.
Russian tourists Pavel Antov (65), Vladimir Bydanov(61) with couple-friends Mikhail Turov (63) and Natalia Panasenko along with their travel agent Jitendra Singh from Delhi had first travelled on December 21 to Daringibadi, a hill station in Kandhamal district before heading to Rayagada. They were supposed to move to Jeypore in the neighbouring Koraput district as part of Antov’s 66th birthday trip.
All of them had checked into Sai International Hotel in Rayagada town. The couple booked a separate room, while Bydanov and Antov stayed together.
The next morning, Bydanov fell sick and was rushed to the Rayagada district headquarters hospital where he was declared dead.
As per procedure in case of the death of foreign nationals, the Rayagada Police informed the Russian Embassy in New Delhi.
Rayagada Police was informed by the Embassy that it was not possible for Bydanov’s family members to reach Rayagada. Therefore, police performed the last rites of Bydanov at the local cremation ground on Saturday.
Antov who returned to the hotel after his friend’s cremation was visibly upset and in a state of depression.
Later in the evening, he reportedly fell from the third floor of the hotel and was rushed to the district headquarters hospital where he was declared dead by the doctors.
Rayagada police have registered two cases of unnatural deaths.
Earlier in the day, addressing reporters in Bhubaneswar, DG Police Sunil Kumar Bansal said, two unnatural death cases have been registered in this connection and the Crime Branch has been asked to take over the investigation.
