Mystery shrouds death of Russian tourist in Goa

PANAJI - Mystery surrounds the death of a Russian teenager, whose dismembered body was found near the railway tracks in Goa Sunday, with police rapidly switching their versions.

Superintendent of Police Tony Fernandes Tuesday said the 19-year-old Elena Sukhonova died due to an accident, as confirmed by the autopsy report.

‘She died because of an accidental fall from the train. The post mortem report has confirmed it,’ he said.

Fernandes chided the media for asking questions related to the case. ‘Should I file a murder case because you say so? Why do you want a murder case registered?’ he asked.

The police officer Monday morning said Sukhonova’s death was purely accidental but by the evening he retracted the statement saying the ‘police were examining all options’.

Sukhonova’s body was found May 9 in a mutilated state on the railway track near Revora village, about 30 km from here.

The autopsy report received by the police Monday only states that the death was caused ‘as a result of blunt force impact by object or surface consequent to being run over’.

Not enough reason to surmise that the death was caused due to an accident, according to the Russian consulate representative advocate Vikram Varma.

Evidence suggests that the body has been cut by the wheels of the train ‘but it is not conclusive of an accident’, Varma said, suspecting foul play.

A police statement Monday said Elena’s death could be accidental and that the Russian could have fallen from the Netravati Express train which had left the Thivim railway station around 7 a.m.

‘And the incident may have taken place while she was travelling,’ the statement said.

On the same afternoon, Fernandes did a complete volte face after a Konkan railway corporation limited (KRCL) spokesperson said it was impossible for a passenger to fall under the wheels of the same train.

Fernandes then told reporters that ‘all options were open’ to the police and did not rule out foul play in Elena’s death.