India probing wealthy Russian politician’s fall to death at hotel

Billionaire Pavel Antov’s demise got here two days after one other member of his celebration was discovered useless on the similar resort in Odisha state.

Indian police are investigating the sudden demise of a rich Russian politician who reportedly criticised the Ukraine struggle in addition to the surprising demise of one in every of his travelling companions, authorities mentioned.

The physique of Pavel Antov, 65, was discovered on Saturday in a pool of blood exterior his lodgings at a luxurious resort within the japanese state of Odisha, the place he was on vacation with three different Russian nationals.

The sausage tycoon died two days after one other member of the journey celebration, Vladimir Bidenov, was discovered unconscious after struggling an obvious coronary heart assault on the similar resort in Odisha’s southern district of Rayagada and couldn’t be revived.

Police on Tuesday mentioned they have been reviewing safety digital camera footage, questioning resort employees and ready on post-mortem studies however thus far there was no signal of foul play.

“All doable angles just about the deaths of two Russian nationals are being verified,” regional police chief Rajesh Pandit instructed the AFP information company.

Bidenov’s demise had probably been attributable to binge ingesting and a doable drug overdose, he mentioned.

“Thus far, plainly Antov unintentionally fell from the resort terrace,” he mentioned.

“He was most likely disturbed by the demise of his pal and went to the resort terrace and certain fell to his demise from there,” the police chief mentioned.

The officer mentioned Antov and his associates had arrived in Odisha this month and visited a number of areas earlier than arriving at their resort in Rayagada at first of final week.

Two native journey brokers accompanying the celebration have additionally been questioned together with the opposite two Russian members of the vacation group.

Odisha police mentioned in an announcement the police chief “has ordered CID (Felony Investigation Division) to take over the inquiry” into the 2 deaths.

Antov was a politician in Vladimir, a metropolis 150km (90 miles) east of Moscow the place his meat-processing firm is situated.

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

“Because of tragic circumstances, our colleague, a profitable entrepreneur, and philanthropist Pavel Genrihovich Antov, handed away,” his publish mentioned. “On behalf of the deputies of the United Russia faction, I categorical my deep condolences to the household and associates.”

Antov had been a member of the regional parliament since 2018 and represented President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia celebration.

Earlier than getting into politics, he based the Vladimirsky Standart firm. In 2019, he was ranked the richest of all parliamentarians and senior officers within the nation by the Russian version of Forbes journal.

In June, Russian media printed a WhatsApp message attributed to Antov that known as a Kremlin missile bombardment of Ukraine “terrorism”.

Antov used the Russian social media community VK to disclaim writing the message, insisting that he supported Russia’s “particular navy operation” in Ukraine.