RU Correspondent :
Two students of Rajshahi University, or RU, and a Russian engineer have died of ‘alcohol poisoning’, the police have said.
They are Beli Dimitry, 41, an engineer at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Project in Pabna, and RU students Muhtasim Rafid Khan and Turjo Rai.
Two other Russian nationals, Misha, 40, and Leba, 45, and a student of Rajshahi Engineering and Technology University (RUET) have also fallen sick. They were admitted to Rajshahi’s CDMA Hospital and Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, respectively.
Police are yet to identify the stricken RUET student.
“The three Russian nationals were drinking alcohol on Saturday at Pabna’s Ishwardy,” said Ifte Khair Alam, a spokesperson for the Rajshahi Metropolitan Police.
“They were taken to the hospital in the wee hours of Sunday, where doctors on duty declared Beli Dimitri dead.”
The two RU students were rushed to the hospital on the same night after consuming alcohol, he added. Doctors on duty later declared them both dead.
“We have learned from the ailing RUET student that the three was imbibing an ‘alcohol-like’ drink. They subsequently fell sick and other students in their mess rushed them to the hospital,” said Humayun Kabir, the university’s assistant proctor.
“It is clear that the deceased Russian national had consumed alcohol,” said Ifte Khair.
“We are opening a probe on the deaths of the two Rajshahi University students. They used to live in separate student accomodations. It needs to be seen whether they only took drugs or if there were any other substances involved.”
About the presence of poisonous susbstance in the alcohol, the polie said they are considering the prospect, he said, adding that a confirmation can only be provided at the end of the post-mortem.
