Siberia at the time of the tragedy of Dyatlov Pass Incident was
still a land of Gulag. Many political prisoners were released in
1953- 56, but criminals were still behind bars. Many small
concentration camps were dispersed all over the region. The closest
such facility to the Dyatlov Pass was Ivlag situated just few miles
from a site of a tragedy. Although it is true that there were no
escapes around the time of Dyatlov Pass Incident it doesn't mean
that it never happened before. History knows many examples then
prisoners would escape and go into hiding for years and even decades
at a time. They could have easily missed death of Stalin in 1953 and
subsequent amnesty to all political prisoners.
Soviet
Concentration Camps were increased significantly at the end of the
Great Patriotic War (aka World War II). Thousands of soldiers and
officers who wrote or said something against Stalin and the country
were arrested upon completion of the military actions. While many
men and women were at the front and faced death they often expressed
their opinions without fear. You can get killed in a few seconds.
Who cares if your political officer recorded your words? And the
party did nothing until the end of the war. But once it was over
Stalin told his henchmen to get everyone who was unhappy or too
honest about Soviet rule. Thousands were send to cut forest in
Siberia instead of coming home to their loved ones. It is plausible
that these people knew how to kill and were open to the idea.
One of the facts that could tie veterans to this case is the fact
two "obmotki" or puttee were discovered at the cedar and near the
tent as we mentioned earlier. They were widely used among the
soldiers in the 40's and later among the prisoners of Stalin's
concentration camps. No body knows how it got here and no body knows
how it disappeared from the evidence room or during transportation
from Dyatlov Pass. But it did. Given the scenario described above it
is plausible to assume that a group of former soldier or officers
that were wrongfully accused of crimes against the state (infamous
article N58) at the end of the World War II. Using their war
experience they might have escaped from prison and they could have
lived in Siberia for years. It is also plausible that once they
encountered the group of your students, former inmates assumed that
getting rid of eye witnesses is better than being reported and
chased by the police.
This theory would exaplain the manner
and a motif for killing tourists on the Dyatlov Pass. However it
doesn't explain presence of radiation on clothes. And aside of
puttee we have no evidence of their presence on the Dyatlov Pass or
around it.