Russian legislator and millionaire Pavel Antov died after a mysterious fall from a window of a three-star hotel in Odisha on Saturday, news agency ANI reported, citing media reports. This is the second death of a Russian national within a week in the same Odisha hotel.
The millionaire, reportedly a critic of Russian president Vladimir Putin, was on a vacation in Rayagada where he was celebrating his 65th birthday.
Confirming the deaths, Rayagada Superintendent of Police (SP) Vivekananda Sharma on Monday told ANI that four people had checked into the Rayagada hotel on December 21.
“On December 22 morning, one of them (B Vladimir) died. After post-mortem, it was found that he suffered heart stroke, died and was cremated. His friend (Pavel Antonov) was depressed after his death and he too died on December 25. A probe is being done to find if he (Pavel Antonov) died by suicide or he accidentally fell from the terrace,” Sharma said.
Confirming the news, Vyacheslav Kartukhin, Vice Speaker of the Regional Parliament on the Telegram channel, mourned the demise. “Our colleague, a successful entrepreneur, and philanthropist Pavel Antov passed away. On behalf of the deputies of the United Russia faction, I express my deep condolences to relatives and friends,” he said, according to Russian News Agency, TASS.
“He was valued both for his professionalism and for his personal qualities – a delicate, intelligent, respectful of everyone, a man of broad outlook and erudition, he won everyone over. For the legislative assembly, for the entire Vladimir Region, the death of Pavel Genrikhovich Antov is difficult and an irreparable loss,” the speaker of the legislative assembly, Vladimir Kiselyov, said on the website of the regional parliament, as per TASS report.
His death came two days after his fellow traveller, Vladimir Bidenov, was found dead at the same hotel on December 22. He was found lying unconscious in his room on the first floor of the hotel with a few empty wine bottles around him. He was rushed to the hospital and doctors declared him dead, reported news agency PTI.
Both part of four-member tourist group
Vladimir and Pavel were part of a four-member group of Russian tourists who along with their guide Jitendra Singh had checked into the hotel in Rayagada town last Wednesday.
Speaking to ANI, their tourist guide Singh on Monday said, “Four people came to stay in Rayagada hotel. One of them a 61-year-old man B Vladimir was ill. Next morning, when we came to his room he was found lying unconscious, we called the police.”
“He (B Vladimir) might have consumed a lot of alcohol as he had liquor bottles. He was a heart patient and had medicines with him. His other friend too was drinking,” he added.