Kerala medical student's death has triggered outrage and calls for an investigation after her family said she was tortured and forced to convert to a new religion before she was killed.
The victim, Savariya Basanth, was from Pallippad in Kerala's Alappuzha district and studied MBBS at the Bukhara State Medical Institute in Uzbekistan. She was found dead on July 3, with Uzbek authorities initially reporting that she died as a result of an attack by a fellow student.
Sadarul Anam, the accused, allegedly attacked Savariya with a laptop after an argument. He is in the custody of Uzbek police and an investigation is underway.
But Savariya’s family has rejected the initial version of events, saying that the injuries on her body suggest she was subjected to severe physical torture rather than a single assault. Family members who traveled to Uzbekistan to bring her body back to Kerala said they saw multiple injuries across her body, raising suspicions that she was brutally beaten before her death.
Moreover, the family has claimed that Savariya had been under constant pressure from the accused to convert to another religion. Her relatives say she had refused to change her religion and this may have been connected to the attack. These claims have been written in the complaint to the police. But no motive has been found in the case.
As a result of Savariya's father's complaint, Kerala police filed a murder case even though the incident took place outside India. The case has been registered to ensure proper legal processes and to facilitate coordination with Indian diplomatic authorities and investigators in Uzbekistan, said officials.
The body of the victim was brought back to Kerala and doctors performed a second post-mortem examination at Alappuzha Government Medical College. The family hopes the findings will help establish the exact cause of death and support their demand for a detailed investigation.
Kerala medical student #SawariyaBasanth (21) was allegedly killed in #Uzbekistan. Her family has also alleged she was being pressured into #ReligiousConversion.
— Nambiar Adarsh Narayanan P V (@Adarsh4BJP) July 10, 2026
"Hey, Islamic 🐷, how many more families will you destroy before you're psycho satisfied?"#JusticeForSawariya pic.twitter.com/FBxKJjW2JC
Police officials have said that as the offence took place in a foreign country, they would work closely with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Uzbekistan to obtain all necessary documents related to the investigation.
If Uzbek authorities complete the legal proceedings satisfactorily, the Kerala Police may close the case. If not, there will be further legal action under Indian law.
Tangible safety and health concerns for Indian students who travel abroad have also been raised to a new level. Families and students have asked the government to strengthen support systems for students overseas to help them in cases of violence and suspicious deaths in which Indian missions respond quickly.
Savariya’s family says they are still hopeful that justice will be found and that the truth of her tragic death will be revealed. “Investigators are still searching for patience as forensic reports are read and the investigation is conducted,” said Nakhikutiyev, a cousin of Savariya’s family.
