Holes in police version: Elena's passport found in room, not near rail track

Panaji, May 17 (IANS) Fresh inconsistencies have surfaced in the police version regarding the death of Russian teenager Elena Sukhonova whose body was found along a railway track near here almost a fortnight ago.

Contrary to earlier statements made by the police to the media that the 19-year-old's passport was found in her purse near her body, IANS has learnt that the passport was in fact recovered from her room at the resort Travellers Inn, Baga.

'We found her purse in the flesh and got to know about her name only through the passport,' Manjunath Dessai, police inspector investigating the incident, told reporters May 9.

However, the passport was in the room at the Traveller's Inn, where she had checked in some days before her death.

IANS has access to the seizure memo drafted by the Mapusa police, which contains a detailed list of articles found in Elena's room.

Item number 137 on the seizure memo mentions that Elena'a passport was found in the room along with nearly 180 other articles belonging to her. The last item on the seizure memo is a Nokia mobile phone charger.

'A passport is a crucial document for any foreigner. How can Elena leave her passport in her room, if she had to travel to Mumbai, as the police claim? Also if one is travelling long distance, how can you leave your mobile phone charger behind in the room?' a Crime branch official claimed.

He also questioned the story put forth by the North district police that Elena's death was accidental.

The police had said that Elena, who was on her way to Mumbai, accidentally fell off a train and came under its wheels. The police had even issued a press note before the post mortem report was out stating that Elena's death could be accidental. She was found dead May 8 on the railway track near Revora village, about 30 km from here.

However, the police version was severely dented by Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd (KRCL) Public Relations Officer Baban Ghatge, who pointed out that it was impossible for a person to fall off a train and come under its wheels.