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Witnesses sought in hunt for murderer of Kremlin critic Nikolai Glushkov

Nikolai Glushkov was found dead at his home in New Malden one week ago: AP
Nikolai Glushkov was found dead at his home in New Malden one week ago: AP

Detectives investigating the murder of Russian businessman Nikolai Glushkov returned to the scene today to conduct house-to-house enquiries in an attempt to trace new witnesses.

The Kremlin critic, 68, was found dead at his home in Clarence Avenue, New Malden, a week ago. Police initially treated his death as unexplained, but on Friday announced that it had become a murder investigation led by the Counter Terrorism Command.

A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as compression to the neck.

There was no sign of forced entry, raising the possibility that Mr Glushkov knew his killer.

Police did not say if anything was stolen, or comment on reports that he was strangled with a dog lead and then hanged to make it look like a suicide. Mr Glushkov’s body was found by his daughter, who has gone into hiding.

Mr Glushkov, who fled to Britain after being accused of fraud in Russia, was outspoken about the Kremlin after the death in 2013 of his close friend Boris Berezovsky, another enemy of Vladimir Putin. Police said at this stage there was nothing to link Mr Glushkov’s death with the Salisbury nerve agent attack.

Detectives have recovered more than 400 items and taken statements. Anyone with information should call 0800 789 321.