Millionaire Pavel Antov, friend die at Odisha hotel within days; join list of Russian elite who died mysteriously

Russian millionaire Pavel Antov has been found dead in a hotel in Odisha, India. He was found lying in a pool of blood outside the hotel in Rayagada on Saturday, December 24. Reports in Russian media said Antov had fallen from a window at the hotel.

His death happened just two days after his friend, Vladimir Bidenov, was found dead at the same hotel on December 22. The 65-year-old Antov was a lawmaker from the Vladimir region, about 200 km from Russia's capital Moscow.

Antov's death is the latest in a series of Russian elites who died mysteriously since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Many of them have openly criticised the war. Antov too was critical of Putin's invasion of Ukraine, according to reports.

However, last summer, Antov denied criticising Russia's war in Ukraine after a message appeared on his WhatsApp account. Antov was the founder of the Vladimir Meat Processing Plant and ranked among the rich list of lawmakers in Russia.

Meanwhile, the Russian embassy on Tuesday said the Odisha police has found 'no criminal aspect' in the death of two citizens.

"The Consulate General of Russia in Kolkata is following the case in touch with local authorities. According to information available to the police, no criminal aspect is seen," Russian Embassy in Delhi said.

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Bidenov and Antov 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 on December 21.

Vladimir Bidenov, Antov's co-traveller, was found dead at the same hotel on December 22. He was found lying unconscious in his first-floor room of the hotel with a few empty wine bottles around him, the Odisha police had said.