The Odisha CID has stepped up its investigation into the deaths of two Russian travelers who died under mysterious circumstances within a span of two days in a hotel in Raygada district.
The Ministry of External Affairs said here on Thursday that investigations are taking place as per the Indian laws.
The State is set to host the prestigious World Cup Hockey tournament in January and hoteliers have urged the Government to ensure security of all foreign tourists.
“We are aware of it and Odisha Police are investigating it as per our laws,” says ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said here. His reaction came days after Director General Police of Odisha Sunil Kumar Bansal on Tuesday ordered a CID probe into the deaths as mystery still shrouds the incident.
The two deceased were identified as Vladimir Bidenov and Pavel Antov. The latter, a lawmaker in Russia and business magnate, reportedly was a critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Russian embassy had said the Odisha police had found “no criminal aspect.” Vladimir Bidenov, 60, died of a stroke, while Pavel Antov, 65, was found lying in a pool of blood outside the hotel last Saturday.
The incidents took place in a hotel Rayagada district within days of each other.
“The Consulate General of Russia in Kolkata is following the case in touch with local authorities. According to information available to the police, no criminal aspect is seen, the embassy had stated on Tuesday.
Pavel Antov died after allegedly falling from a hotel’s third floor on December 24, and Vladimir Bidenov, his fellow traveler, was found dead in his room at the same hotel on December 22.
They were part of a four-member group, which along with their Delhi-based travel guide had checked in to the hotel on December 21.
The post-mortem report of the Russian MP indicates that he died of internal injury after a fall, while that of Bidenov points to a heart attack as the cause of death, the police said.
According to reports in a section of the media, Antov , the founder of the Vladimir Meat Processing Plant, ranked among the rich list of lawmakers in Russia.
Antov had reportedly come to Rayagada along with Bidenov and two other friends on tourist visas to celebrate his 66th birthday, reports said.
Meanwhile, expressing concern over the impact of the deaths of two Russian tourists in the Rayagada district, the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Odisha (HARO) wrote to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik urging him to ensure a proper investigation.
In a letter to Patnaik, it said a strong action plan should be chalked out for the safety and security of visitors, especially foreign tourists, coming to the state during the Hockey Men’s World Cup, which will begin on January 13.
“We request your esteemed office to kindly examine the case of two Russian tourists who died under mysterious circumstances and necessary steps and investigation may kindly be taken immediately to avoid further spreading of the negative news,” HARO chairman JK Mohanty said in the letter.
Noting that the deaths of the two tourists were having a negative impact on the prospects of tourism in Odisha in terms of safety, he said the incident is likely to slow down the arrival of foreign tourists to the state. Prior to the pandemic, Odisha witnessed around 1.5 lakh foreign tourist arrivals each year, Mohanty said.