Probe Into Death Of 2 Russians Being Conducted With "Open Mind": Odisha Top Cop

Odisha DGP S K Bansal has said the probe into the recent death of two Russian nationals at a hotel in Rayagada is being conducted with an "open mind" and "no evidence of any foul play" has been found so far.

Pavel Antov (65), a Russian lawmaker, died after allegedly falling from the hotel's third floor on December 24, while his friend Vladimir Bidenov (61) was found dead in his room on December 22.

Two separate cases of unnatural deaths were registered at the Sadar Police Station in Rayagada.

There is "no evidence of any foul play so far" behind the death of the two Russians, the DGP said.

“Till now, we have not found anything suspicious into the incident… The investigation is being conducted with an open mind,” he said on Sunday.

Sleuths of the CID has also collected the burnt remnants of Antov and Bidenov from the cremation ground near Rayagada, which will be sent for forensic examination, according to an official statement.

The post-mortem report of the Russian MP indicated that he died of internal injury after a fall, while that of Bidenov pointed to a heart attack as the cause of death, police said.

The last rites of the two men were completed with the consent of their family members and the Russian Embassy.

A group of four Russians, including Antov and Bidenov, along with their Delhi-based tour guide Jitendra Singh, had reached Odisha on December 19, and checked-in to the hotel on December 21.