In a twisted tale of live-in relationship, a Russian national was arrested in the wee hours of Friday for "murdering" two Russian women in North Goa. Two separate cases of murder have been registered at Mandrem Police Station.
The murders took place in Pernem taluka. What makes the case interesting is that both the deceased have the same name, same age and were "killed" by the same man identified as Aleksei Leonov.
The accused had reportedly come to India on a business visa and worked as a fire display performer, police informed. However, the motive behind the gruesome act remains to be ascertained.
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The deceased women have been identified as Elena Kasthanova and Elena Vaneeva, both aged 37 years and hailing from Russia.
How the murders unfolded
On Wednesday night, sometime after 11 pm, the accused, Leonov, allegedly killed his fist victim Vaneeva by "slitting her neck with a sharp knife". This incident took place at a rented house in Morjim. Vaneeva's body was reportedly found in a "decomposed and bloated" condition, police informed.
The next day on Thursday around 9:15 pm, the second victim, Kasthanova was found murdered at her rented house in Arambol.
The FIR states that the accused assaulted Kasthanova and tied her hands behind her back with a rope, which caused several injuries. The FIR also stated that the accused slit her throat with a sharp weapon. After killing her, Leonov fled the scene but was arrested by police on Friday morning.
How did Kasthanova and Leonov meet?
In a statement from the police, it was confirmed that Kasthanova arrived in Goa on a tourist visa on December 24 last year, before she met Leonov. According to the police, Leonov and Kasthanova became friends and rented a house to live in Arambol together.
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At this time, it is unclear why the two women were murdered. However, the police have stated that the same method was used in both murders, which involved cutting the victims' throats with a sharp weapon.
When Leonov was initially questioned by the police, he stated that he had developed a friendship with both women.
