Guwahati: The death of Assam woman 40-year-old Mridusmita Sainkia has now been linked to Russian national Aleksei Leonov, who is also accused of killing two of his women friends in Goa, allegedly over borrowed money and a borrowed “rubber crown”, ND TV reported.
Police are probing Leonov’s role in the death of Mridusmita Sainkia, a resident of Amguri in Assam’s Sivasagar district, who was found dead at her Goa residence on January 12.
The two had known each other for a long time and had travelled to Goa together several times in the past. Sources said Leonov and Mridusmita were together on January 11, a day before her body was found. A preliminary investigation suggests she may have died due to a drug overdose, though police are examining all possible links.
Leonov has already been arrested for the murder of two Russian women — Elena Vaneeva and Elena Kasthanova — who were his friends. According to police sources, the killings were triggered by disputes over borrowed money and a “fire crown”, a rubber crown used by fire dancers to hold fire on their heads.
Elena Kasthanova, a fire dancer, had borrowed money and the fire crown from Leonov, who worked as a firework artist. Elena Vaneeva, a bubble artist, had also borrowed money from him. When the money and the crown were not returned, Leonov allegedly slit their throats in their rooms on two separate days — January 14 and January 15.
Sources said the murders were not pre-planned but were “triggered”, adding that the accused was overly obsessed and easily provoked. Police are also investigating whether Leonov was under the influence of drugs at the time of the crimes.
Elena Vaneeva had arrived in Goa on January 10, while Kasthanova had been living in the state since December 25 last year and was staying with Leonov. The trio frequently travelled across India and often visited Goa, police said.
Investigators revealed that Leonov was on a long-term India visa and had lived in several Indian cities, doing odd jobs. He had returned to Goa in December but had not worked for nearly a month.
During interrogation, Leonov claimed he had killed five more people over past disputes. However, police verification found that all those individuals are alive. Sources described him as mentally unstable and said he was often under the influence of drugs.
Police also recovered photos of over 100 women and two men from his mobile phone. They said Leonov would get irritated easily but also made friends quickly. He had earlier been involved in assault incidents in Goa, though no formal cases were registered.
The investigation is ongoing, with Goa Police closely examining whether the accused’s actions in the earlier cases have a direct connection to the death of the Assam woman.