Odisha Cops Probing Deaths of Russian Nationals: External Affairs Ministry

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday noted the reports of the deaths of Russian nationals in Odisha and added that the state police is looking into the matter as per laws.

"We are aware of these incidents. Odisha police is looking into the matter as per our laws," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said during a weekly media briefing. "It is a police matter so don't want to jump the gun," he added.

On Wednesday, Odisha police said the post-mortem report of the dead ruled out any foul play after the reports of the death of two Russian nationals in Rayagada.

"The post-mortem report of the Russian businessman and lawmaker ruled out foul play. The report said the death was due to internal injuries after falling from a height. The other death was due to heart attack," said Odisha Police.

Odisha CID-Crime Branch said it has stepped up its probe into the death of two Russian nationals.

"The post-mortem was conducted and their viscera samples have been preserved for further scientific investigation. We are looking at all the aspects of the case," said a Crime Branch officer.

CID-Crime Branch interrogated two Russian nationals, who accompanied the dead and their interpreter at the Crime Branch headquarters in Cuttack on Wednesday.

The trio was on their way to Kolkata from Rayagada on Tuesday, when they were asked to come back and join the investigation by the Crime Branch.

The team of CID-Crime Branch, headed by a senior officer, will visit Rayagada on Thursday for further investigation. The team will visit the hotel where the dead and two other Russian tourists were staying, among other places.

According to the CID-Crime Branch, a preliminary investigation has revealed that the Russian nationals were on a trip to the tribal region of Odisha. The Crime Branch said it was conducting background checks on all of them, including their travel history.

On why the bodies were cremated and not sent to their families in Russia, the Crime Branch officer said the bodies were cremated by the police only after offical consent and undertaking from their family members and persons accompanying them.

"The families requested the police to send the ashes of the dead," the officer said.

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