The lifeless bodies of a couple, suspected to be of Russian origin, were discovered near a pond close to Manikaran in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district, as revealed by the police on Friday. Unearthed on Thursday, the bodies displayed injury marks, leading authorities to consider the possibility of suicide, though murder has not been ruled out. The victims, a man and a woman in their twenties remained unidentified, but belongings nearby hint at Russian nationality.
The woman’s unclothed body was found in a hot spring pool (kund), while the man’s body lay outside the pool, both located in Tagri along the Parvati river, around two kilometres from Manikaran. ASP Sanjeev Chauhan reported cut marks on the man’s hand and neck, and the woman had injury marks on her hand, though non-fatal. The precise cause of death is yet to be determined. Items found at the scene include a blade, a mobile phone, and drugs (charas).
Although initial assessments suggest suicide, authorities await clarification from the postmortem report. The bodies were sent for postmortem to a regional hospital in Kullu, and later referred to the medical college in Mandi. Facial swelling has hindered identification.
In response, a forensic team is on-site, and police are investigating local accommodations for additional information about the deceased couple.
