Family from Raigarh found dead in Luxa homestay after husband dies in BHU hospital
Varanasi police on Tuesday recovered the bodies of 51-year-old Jaya Mukherjee and her 27-year-old son Ishan from a homestay in Luxa after the husband, 55-year-old Vishal Mukherjee, died at Sir Sunderlal Hospital, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), the authorities said. The incident, which unfolded during the family’s pilgrimage to Kashi, is under investigation, with officers examining medical and financial circumstances surrounding the deaths.
According to a report by Piyush Srivastava in telegraphindia.com, the family had arrived in Varanasi from Raigarh, Maharashtra, three days earlier. Atul Anjan, additional commissioner of police of Dashashwamedh Ghat, said the couple and son had been unwell for several years and that Vishal’s condition worsened on Monday, leading to his death at the trauma centre while undergoing treatment.
"The family had arrived here from Raigarh in Maharashtra three days ago. The husband and wife had been unwell for several years," Atul Anjan said, according to the report.
Vaibhav Bangar, additional deputy commissioner of police of Kashi zone, told reporters there were indications the family was unable to repay loans and that financial strain was being examined as part of the probe. He said preliminary observations indicated the wife and son had consumed poison, and police are seeking consent from relatives to conduct post-mortems.
- All three members were staying in a Luxa homestay while on pilgrimage to Kashi Vishwanath temple.
- Vishal Mukherjee died at BHU’s trauma centre on Monday; Jaya and Ishan were found dead in the homestay on Tuesday.
- Police recovered wrappers suspected to be of poison at the scene, according to homestay staff reports.
Staff at the homestay told police that the family had visited Kashi Vishwanath temple on Sunday. They reported calling the police and assisting in taking Vishal to hospital when he fell seriously ill. When the wife and son did not emerge from their room on Monday night, staff checked again on Tuesday morning and alerted the police after receiving no response. Officers broke open the door and discovered the two bodies on the bed along with suspicious wrappers on the floor, the staff member said.
Police said the family originally hailed from Calcutta but had been residing in Raigarh for the past two years. Investigators are attempting to reconstruct the sequence of events, verify medical histories and trace recent communications. Atul Anjan said authorities had contacted people with whom the family had recently spoken and found evidence suggesting they were "not financially well off."
| Family member | Age | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Vishal Mukherjee | 55 | Died at Sir Sunderlal Hospital, BHU |
| Jaya Mukherjee | 51 | Found dead in homestay; suspected poisoning |
| Ishan Mukherjee | 27 | Found dead in homestay; suspected poisoning |
Officials emphasised that formal cause of death will be established only after post-mortem examinations and forensic analysis. Vaibhav Bangar said police had informed the family’s relatives and would proceed with legal and medical formalities once consent and paperwork were completed.
The case raises questions for the city’s guesthouse and medical response systems when pilgrims in distress require urgent help. Luxa, located close to the airport area, has several homestays and lodges catering to pilgrims and tourists visiting the ghats and temples of Varanasi. Police said the homestay staff had acted promptly in transporting the ill man to hospital and alerting authorities when the other occupants failed to respond.
Investigating officers said they were examining the family’s travel history, recent phone contacts and financial records recovered at the lodging to determine motive and whether the deaths were linked to long-standing illness, indebtedness or other factors.
Further updates will follow after completion of post-mortems and medical reports, the police said.
