Indus Valley Times

By Nalini Sahu

Bhubaneswar, Dec. 30: As gossips about a conspiracy plot behind the death of Russian lawmaker and affluent businessman Pavel Antov and his friend Vladimir Videnov in a hotel in Odisha’s Rayagada thickened, Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov on Friday said nothing wrong had been done in performing the last rites of the deceased duo.

Many in India, including Congress lawmaker Manish Tewari, had expressed surprise as to how the bodies of Antov and Videnov, said to be practising Christians, were cremated instead of being buried after an autopsy.

The Russian Ambassador Alipov said he was happy with the investigation launched by the Indian police, clarifying as per the Russian traditions; a body can be buried or consigned to flames.

Replying to a tweet by Congress leader Manish Tiwari, Alipov wrote, “We appreciate the investigation efforts by the Indian authorities into the death of two Russian nationals in Odisha.”

“Meanwhile, it would be useful for some Hercule Poirot lovers to learn that cremation in Russia is as customary as burial. Idleness is the root of all evil,” he added.

The Consulate General of Russia in Kolkata in a Tweet said, “The nearest relatives of the deceased have clearly expressed their will to have bodies of Vladimir Bydanov and Pavel Antov cremated and their remains (ashes) brought to Russia.”

Antov, one of Russia’s wealthy lawmakers and a fervent critic of President Vladimir Putin, died under mysterious circumstances on December 24 night, two days after the death of his friend and fellow traveller Vladimir Videnov in Hotel Sai International in Rayagada.

Videnov, according to Rayagada District Headquarters Hospital sources, died of a heart attack on December 22. On the other hand, Antov reportedly died after falling off the terrace of the hotel. Jitendra Singh, the Indian travel guide of the Russian visitors, told reporters that Antov under trauma following the death of Videnov and he might have committed suicide by jumping off his third floor hotel room. 

Ever since Antov and Videno’s mortal remains cremated, surging debate has erupted over whether their last rites were allegedly performed in a hurry. The duo was reportedly cremated instead of being buried. A controversy had already started surrounding it.

Videnov’s body was cremated on December 24 while Antov’s body was consigned to flames on December 26.

Amid the controversy surrounding the death of the Russian nationals, a photo of four Russian tourists, including Vladimir Videnov and Antov Pavel with the Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar forming the backdrop, has gone viral. It suggests that they had visited Bhubaneswar before going to Daringbadi and Rayagada.

As many as two teams of Crime Investigation Depart of the Odisha Police’s Crime Branch are investigating the death of the Russian lawmaker and his friend.

Notably, the deceased duo along with their two other friends were on a holiday trip to Odisha’s tribal pockets.