A French couple, Marine Nathalie (24) and Micheal (32) — living at Vishnu Guest House at Pandey Ghat here — were found behaving abnormally on the banks of Ganga on Monday morning. Both of them were taken to the Dashwashamedh Police Station. Later, they were admitted at Varanasi District Hospital.

“It seems to be a case of narcotic overdose, but only medical examination can give us a clear picture. It is possible that the duo may be discharged by this evening,” said consultant physician at the hospital, R N Singh. Other staff at the hospital said the duo had been brought to the hospital in similar circumstances three days ago for treatment of narcotic overdose.

Meanwhile, the French duo, who misbehaved with camerapersons at the police station and hospital, said that after eating a chapati given by a local resident at the ghat they started feeling unwell.

They even alleged that 1,000 Euros have been missing from their possession since then. They claimed that they were slated to leave for New Delhi by flight on Tuesday. The duo is in India on a six-month tourist visa which expires on July 23, 2008.

This is not the first case of narcotic overdose with foreign tourists in this holy city. In December 2007, an Israeli couple, Almog and Marjaana Yarden, were admitted at the district hospital and later, at the mental hospital in similar condition.