Family of 4 Killed In Mumbai: FSL Finds Rat Poison in Watermelon

The death of four members of the Dokadia family in Mumbai's Paydhuni has shocked everyone. The FSL report states ‘zinc phosphide’ basically, rat poison was found in the watermelon and the bodies. Mumbai Police is now investigating from all angles.

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Food poisoning or rat poison?

The tragic death of the Dokadia family, living in South Mumbai's Paydhuni area, has sent shockwaves across the city. What was first thought to be a simple case of food poisoning now looks like a horrifying poisoning incident. The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report has revealed it found a highly dangerous chemical called 'zinc phosphide', commonly used in rat poison, in the family's bodies and the watermelon they had eaten.

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Family of 4 killed in Mumbai

On the night of April 25, the Dokadia family's home was full of joy. Abdul Dokadia, his wife Nasreen, and their two daughters, Ayesha and Zainab, had invited relatives over for a feast. They served chicken biryani for dinner and chatted with their guests late into the night. Around 1 AM, after the guests left, the family ate some watermelon. Shortly after, all four of them suddenly fell ill. Severe vomiting, diarrhoea, and restlessness created chaos in the house.

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Deaths cause chaos

Initially, the family thought it was just regular food poisoning. They called a local doctor home, who gave them medicine to try and control the situation. But their condition kept getting worse. By the time the family was taken to the hospital, one of the daughters had already died. The other three also passed away during treatment. Just like that, an entire family was wiped out. The incident has shaken both the police and health officials.

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Samples taken

In the early stages of the investigation, the police took samples of every food item in the house, including the chicken biryani. But one crucial fact changed the direction of the probe—the other relatives at the feast had also eaten the same biryani, yet they remained perfectly healthy. This is when suspicion fell heavily on the watermelon. The FSL report confirmed that zinc phosphide was present in the watermelon and the bodies of the deceased. This is the same chemical commonly used in rat poison.

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Poisonous chemical found in watermelon

Officials have clarified that the deaths were not caused by eating the watermelon itself, but by the poisonous chemical mixed in it. Police are continuously questioning the family's relatives, neighbours, and guests. Every corner of the house and every food item is being thoroughly examined.