PANAJI
Alexandra Djavi, a 24-year-old Russian actress, who allegedly hung herself in her Siolim home earlier this week, had been harassed for sexual favours by a Chennai-based photographer and the police should not rule out “any possibility of homicide” in her death as well as that of another 34-year-old Russian woman in Siolim, Russian consulate Vikram Varma said on Saturday.
Varma also said that the post mortems of both Russian nationals, Djavi and Ekaterina Titova, would be conducted in the presence of a representative of the Russian consulate soon.
“Matter of death and especially where the death involves a young person, the levels of suspicion have to be very high and we should rule out any possibility of homicide, because people who murder sometimes disguise their acts in such a clever manner that it appears like a suicide or an accident,” Varma said.
“Regarding the 24-year-old, Alexandra, we have received information that she had been blackmailed in 2019 for sexual favours and after a preliminary enquiry, the Chennai police had registered an FIR. But this is preliminary information and we hope that the Goa Police will investigate the matter thoroughly and rule out any possible suspicion in her death,” Varma also said.
In 2019, Djavi in a First Information Report filed with the Chennai Police had alleged that she was being harassed for sexual favours by a photographer. Djavi had acted in a film Kanchana 3, a popular horror comedy.
“Based on the complaint filed by Djavi, Chennai police conducted an investigation and found her claims to be true. They have now arrested the culprit, who is in Puzhal jail,” a report in India Today dated April 25, 2019, states.
Varma said that Russian officials are expected to arrive in Goa in September to look into the matter. “We are expecting officers, diplomat from Russia in Goa in September, so they will look into the matter. I believe the clearances have to be taken, the family has to be informed. So after taking clearances, NOC will be provided for the post mortem. Until then, I have been informed the bodies have been safely kept in the GMC,” Varma said.
According to Superintendent of Police for the North Goa district Shobit Saxena, the Goa Police had written to the Russian Embassy to appoint formal representatives to process medico-legal formalities, while also ruling out any foul play in the two deaths.
“Once the representative is assigned, further medico-legal formalities such as PME will be conducted. In the meantime, we are not suspecting any foul play as of now. However, we will wait for a statement from representatives and the final decision on the cause of death by the medico-legal examination,” Saxena said.
“Post mortem will be conducted in the presence of representatives from the Russian embassy. We have already written to the Russian embassy to appoint representatives for medical-legal formalities. Once the representatives are here we will be conducting the post mortem,” the official also said.
The incident comes at a time when the Goa police is already under pressure from the Opposition as well as civil society on the alleged political interference in the investigation into the death of 19-year-old Siddhi Naik
