5 Russians die in 11 days, probe ordered

The under-construction Rooppur Nuclear Power PlantFile photo

As many as five Russian employees of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) died in the past 11 days, prompting the police to initiate a probe, reports UNB.

On 28 January, Barcenko Alexei, 48, died during treatment at Ishwardi Upazila Health Complex, while Shakiroff Alexei, 40, passed away in his sleep on 2 February.

Three days later, Schukin Pavel, a 48-year-old mechanical engineer of sub-contractor firm Trest Rossem, died at the same upazila medical facility after suddenly falling sick.

Tolmasoff Vassiliev, 59, another employee of another sub-contractor firm, died on the stairs of his 14th floor flat at a tower in the Green City housing project for the Russian officials of the power plant the same day.

On Sunday, Vortonikov Alexander, a 45-year-old employee of Nikim Atomstroya firm of the plant, was found dead in his flat at the same residential complex.

Asadussaman, officer-in-charge of Ishwardi police station, said that the autopsy reports of the deceased Russian nationals “did not show anything suspicious”.

“One of them used to take drugs, while another had a cardiac ailment. However, we are probing all the deaths,” he added.