Patna: A sense of shock has gripped Rajgir, a major international tourist destination in Bihar’s Nalanda district, after the bodies of four tourists were found under suspicious circumstances inside a room at a Digambar Jain dharamshala.
Police said the deceased — two men and two women — were visitors from Bengaluru who had checked into the guesthouse on January 31, according to the entry register. The incident came to light after local residents complained of a foul smell emanating from one of the rooms, prompting the police to intervene.
Officers reached the spot, sealed the guesthouse room and cordoned off the surrounding area. A team from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Patna has been called in to assist with the investigation. The bodies are being prepared for post-mortem examinations, which officials say will be crucial in establishing the cause and time of death.
Rajgir station house officer Raman Kumar confirmed the recovery of the bodies and said no official conclusion had yet been drawn. “The investigation is underway. Neighbours reported a foul smell coming from the room, after which the police arrived and found the bodies of four people inside,” he said. “Local residents had seen these tourists moving around the market area about two days ago.”
Preliminary information suggests the group had arrived in Rajgir after travelling to Nepal and was planning to visit Pawapuri next, a key Jain pilgrimage site near Rajgir. Police have not ruled out any possibility and said they were examining travel details, room conditions and other material evidence.
Officials said further clarity would emerge only after forensic findings and post-mortem reports are received. Until then, police have declined to speculate on whether the deaths were accidental, suicidal or the result of foul play.
