Although he is a sausage trader and a member of the Russian legislature, his other identity is that he is a critic of Vladimir Putin. The mystery has intensified in the death of Pavel Antov while traveling in Odisha. The bloodied body of Pavel, a member of Putin’s team, was found outside a luxury hotel in Odisha’s Raigarh. Just two days ago, another Russian tourist and Pavel’s partner died in that hotel. Incidentally, two other critics of Putin in Russia had died this way before. Therefore, although the police investigation claimed it to be suicide, speculations have been made as to whether there is any other story behind Pavel’s death.
According to the Russian Embassy in India, the news of the death of Pavel, a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Vladimir Region, has reached them. The embassy has also been in touch with the Odisha administration and Pavel’s family. However, no criminal connection has been reported in this tragic incident so far.
Statement from the Russian Consul General
Russian Consul General Alexey Idamkin claims, Pavel committed suicide by jumping from the fourth floor of the hotel in Raigarh. His Indian guide Jitendra Singh rushed to the hospital after hearing the news of the incident. There he learned that the representative of the legislature of Vladimir Region was declared dead by the doctor.
Raigarh Superintendent of Police Vivekananda Sharma said that Pavel came to the hotel on December 21. There were three others with him. The next morning one of them (Vladimir Bidenov) died. The autopsy showed that he died of a heart attack. The police officer claimed that Pavel was depressed since Bidenov’s death. Pavel died exactly two days later. The police requested help in the investigation from their two other companions. Odisha Police DG Sunil Kumar Bansal, however, ordered a CID investigation. And then the question arises about the police investigation.
According to a British media, Pavel strongly criticized Putin about Russia’s war against Ukraine. He also referred to it as terrorism. But suddenly he apologizes for his comments. There is growing controversy over whether Pavel’s death is linked to criticism of the Russian president. Earlier, Putin critics suffered the same fate as Pavel. So, whether Pavel was killed by suicide or a conspiracy, the mystery is intensifying.
The social media is active in the death of Pavel. Many say it doesn’t take an expert to understand why this Putin critic suddenly fell from a hotel window. Another wrote, “Two friends went to a hotel together. Both died in separate ways. It’s hard to imagine it as a mere coincidence!” Many are also reminded of the secret operations of the Russian spy agency KGB during the Soviet era.
Another death
Meanwhile, the hanging body of a tourist from Ukraine was found last Sunday in a guest house in Varanasi. He was there since November 29. Locals said that the person named Kostiatin Belyaev lost many relatives in the Russo-Ukraine war. He was disappointed because of that. He also talked about salvation after death from cough.