A 27-year-old Romanian student pursuing higher studies in Indian Philosophy at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) was discovered dead under mysterious circumstances at her rented accommodation in Varanasi’s Chowk area on Thursday night. The incident has sent shockwaves through the university and the local community, raising concerns about the well-being of international students in the city.
The deceased, identified as Filipa Francisca, had been residing in a rented room under the jurisdiction of Chowk police station. According to officials, her landlord grew suspicious after repeated knocks on her door went unanswered late at night. The police were immediately alerted, and upon arriving at the spot, they used a duplicate key to open the room, only to find Francisca lying motionless on her bed.
Investigators revealed that neither medicines nor a suicide note were found at the scene, though Francisca was known to have a medical history. Senior police officer Atul Anjan Tripathi, who personally inspected the location, stated that Francisca had been suffering from epilepsy since childhood and was undergoing treatment. He added that forensic samples had been collected, and the body had been sent for post-mortem to ascertain the exact cause of death.
Authorities have seized her passport, visa, and mobile phone as part of the investigation. Police confirmed that Francisca held a valid visa until 2027 and had been residing in Varanasi for an extended period following her academic pursuits in other Indian cities, including Surat and Amritsar.
The Romanian embassy and BHU’s concerned department have been formally informed of the incident, and efforts are underway to contact Francisca’s family. Officials emphasized that while preliminary findings suggest a health-related cause, the final confirmation awaits the post-mortem report. The incident has highlighted the vulnerabilities faced by foreign students living alone in India and the need for closer institutional support mechanisms.
