Goa police awaiting Russian consulate's nod for autopsy of actress
Panaji(PTI): The Goa police are waiting for the Russian Consulate's nod to conduct postmortem of the body of a 24-year-old Russian actress, who was found dead in her apartment in North Goa district last week, an official said on Monday.
Alexandra Djavi, who acted in some Tamil movies including "Kanchana 3", was found hanging in her rented flat in Siolim village of North Goa on Friday.
A senior police official said the body was kept in a mortuary while they were waiting for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Russian Consulate to conduct the autopsy.
The police have already started an investigation into the case and recorded the statement of her boyfriend, he said. The woman's boyfriend, who was living with her in the same apartment, had gone out when she died.
Meanwhile, advocate Vikram Varma, the Goa representative of the Russian Consulate in Mumbai, urged the police to conduct a probe into the "possible role" of a Chennai-based photographer into the woman's death.
The deceased had filed a complaint of sexual harassment against the photographer in Chennai in 2019, he said.
"I was informed that the woman had been hounded and blackmailed by a person in Chennai. After a preliminary inquiry, the Chennai police had found enough evidence to register an FIR and subsequently arrest him, he said.
Varma said the case (of the woman's death) "may have other facets which are not clearly visible at this stage".
The Russian Consulate was monitoring the case and would provide all required information and assistance to the Goa police, he added.
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Treasure hunt begins after gold ornaments unearthed in Karnataka's Lakkundi village
Gadag (Karnataka)(PTI): The Karnataka government on Friday went on a treasure hunt following the discovery of gold ornaments during the construction of a house in the historic Lakkundi village known for its architectural heritage in Gadag district.
The government decided to launch a full-scale excavation on the premises of the Kote Veerabhadreshwara Temple at Lakkundi.
The project is being undertaken jointly by the Department of Tourism, the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage, the Lakkundi Heritage Development Authority and the district administration.
The JCBs, trucks and tractors were moved in to carry out excavation on the temple premises. A 10 metres by 10 metres area has been demarcated for excavation. The area has been notified for excavation.
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"We have roped in 15 women and five men for this job," an officer engaged in the work said.
Lakkundi was once ruled by the Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Hoysalas, Kalchuris and the Vijayanagara kings, and associated with the famed philanthropist Danachintamani Attimabbe.
This was also the place where gold coins were minted in the ancient time, sources in the archaeology department said.
The treasure hunt began after a boy accidently discovered a small copper pot filled with gold ornaments weighing 470 grams. The ornaments are said to be 300 to 400 years old.
The boy handed over the treasure to the district administration, for which he was felicitated.
Officials said the region is believed to be rich in buried valuables, including gold, silver, diamonds, pearls, rubies, corals and cat's eye stones.
"Lakkundi has historically been a prosperous centre, and evidence suggests that immense material wealth may still be concealed underground," sources involved in the excavation said.
During an exploration conducted in November 2024, thousands of ancient artefacts were unearthed at Lakkundi.
More recently, the discovery of jewellery has further heightened interest in the site. Even now, precious stones such as sapphires, pearls, gems, diamonds and cat's eye are reportedly being found in different parts of the area.
Archaeologists said the fresh excavation is of high historical importance and is expected to yield inscriptions, monuments, sculptures and ornaments linked to Karnataka's medieval history, potentially adding significantly to the understanding of Lakkundi's rich heritage.
