Odisha: after death of two Russians, another Putin critic goes missing

After the mystery surrounding the deaths of two Russians, including a lawmaker, in a hotel in Odisha recently, the state police are searching for another man from Russia who has gone missing.

The missing man, who used to stay in Puri is reportedly a Putin critic and has been sighted earlier in Odisha’s capital holding placards with anti-war and anti-Putin slogans, seeking financial assistance.

About a month ago, the man was seen in the Bhubaneswar railway station holding a placard that read: “ I am Russian Refugee, I am against War, I am against Putin, I am Homeless, Please Help me”.

The photo of the man holding that placard, clicked by some passenger, has gone viral after the death of his compatriots - lawmaker and businessman Pavel Antov and his fellow traveller Vladimir Bidenov – in a hotel in Rayagada district.

Also Watch| Russian MP died due to internal injuries after fall: Odisha police

Antov died after allegedly falling from the hotel’s third floor on December 24 while Bidenov was found dead in his room on December 22.

GRP officials in Bhubaneswar railway station talked to the man holding that poster around a month ago.

“On being informed by some commuters, I went to him and inquired about him. He was loitering on the railway platform, carrying a placard. I had inspected his passport and visa and found the documents to be OK,” said the GRP inspector in charge Jayadev Biswajit.

As he was not conversant in English, not much details could be collected from him, he said.

“The GRP has contacted us. We have provided immediate assistance,” Puri SP Kanwar Vishal Singh said.

The police are now looking for him.

“The police had no cause to suspect any wrong-doing linked to his disappearance at that time, as the Rayagada incident happened thereafter,” a senior railway police official told PTI.

The two deceased Russians were cremated and the CID is investigating their deaths.

(with PTI inputs)