India probing wealthy Russian politicians fall to death at hotel

Billionaire Pavel Antov’s demise arrived two days right after another member of his get together was identified lifeless at the same resort in Odisha state.

Indian law enforcement are investigating the sudden death of a wealthy Russian politician who reportedly criticised the Ukraine war as perfectly as the unanticipated demise of just one of his travelling companions, authorities said.

The human body of Pavel Antov, 65, was found on Saturday in a pool of blood outside the house his lodgings at a luxurious resort in the eastern condition of Odisha, where he was on getaway with 3 other Russian nationals.

The sausage tycoon died two days following an additional member of the travel social gathering, Vladimir Bidenov, was identified unconscious after suffering an apparent coronary heart attack at the identical resort in Odisha’s southern district of Rayagada and could not be revived.

Law enforcement on Tuesday explained they were being reviewing stability digicam footage, questioning resort personnel and waiting on autopsy reports but so far there was no signal of foul play.

“All achievable angles as regards to the fatalities of two Russian nationals are becoming verified,” regional law enforcement chief Rajesh Pandit advised the AFP news company.

Bidenov’s loss of life had probably been triggered by binge ingesting and a attainable drug overdose, he reported.

“So significantly, it looks that Antov accidentally fell from the hotel terrace,” he explained.

“He was in all probability disturbed by the dying of his buddy and went to the resort terrace and most likely fell to his loss of life from there,” the police main stated.

The officer claimed Antov and his friends had arrived in Odisha this thirty day period and visited various spots right before arriving at their hotel in Rayagada at the start off of previous 7 days.

Two nearby journey brokers accompanying the social gathering have also been questioned alongside with the other two Russian users of the holiday getaway team.

Odisha police said in a statement the police main “has requested CID (Felony Investigation Office) to take above the inquiry” into the two deaths.

Antov was a politician in Vladimir, a metropolis 150km (90 miles) east of Moscow wherever his meat-processing corporation is found.

Antov’s demise was introduced in Russia by the deputy head of the Vladimir Legislative Assembly, Vyacheslav Kartukhin, on Telegram.

“As a consequence of tragic instances, our colleague, a profitable entrepreneur, and philanthropist Pavel Genrihovich Antov, handed away,” his post said. “On behalf of the deputies of the United Russia faction, I categorical my deep condolences to the household and mates.”

Antov experienced been a member of the regional parliament due to the fact 2018 and represented President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia celebration.

In advance of coming into politics, he founded the Vladimirsky Standart company. In 2019, he was ranked the richest of all parliamentarians and senior officials in the region by the Russian version of Forbes magazine.

In June, Russian media revealed a WhatsApp concept attributed to Antov that identified as a Kremlin missile bombardment of Ukraine “terrorism”.

Antov employed the Russian social media community VK to deny producing the message, insisting that he supported Russia’s “special army operation” in Ukraine.