Mumbai watermelon tragedy: Hospital final report confirms zinc phosphide poisoning

In line with police, the household had dinner that night time with 5 family members at their residence. Round 1 am on April 26, after the visitors had left, the household of 4 consumed watermelon. Throughout the subsequent 12 hours, all 4 fell critically sick and later died throughout therapy.

The victims have been first taken to a neighborhood hospital earlier than being referred to the federal government run Sir JJ Hospital, the place they succumbed, police stated.

Following the incident, Mumbai Police, forensic specialists and Meals and Drug Administration officers visited the residence and picked up samples of meals gadgets, together with watermelon and water, consumed in the course of the household’s final meal. The samples have been despatched to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for an in depth evaluation whereas viscera samples of all 4 deceased have been despatched to the FSL laboratory in Kalina for chemical examination.

A preliminary report from JJ Hospital’s microbiology division had dominated out bacterial an infection. Final week, the FSL confirmed the presence of zinc phosphide in each the watermelon and the viscera samples of all 4 deceased members of the family.

An FSL official had earlier advised The Indian Specific, “Zinc phosphide was present in two samples the watermelon and viscera of the 4 deceased individuals.”

The official had additional acknowledged, “Often, it’s a powder, which almost definitely means somebody lower the watermelon, sprinkled the powder following which it was consumed. Nonetheless, the police shall be higher positioned to search out out what occurred.”

Investigators stated zinc phosphide is extremely poisonous and generally used as a rodenticide to regulate rats in residential and agricultural areas.

A histopathology report submitted by JJ Hospital just a few days in the past had additionally indicated poisoning as the reason for dying for all 4 victims, a police officer stated.

The JJ Marg Police Station is probing how the poison entered the watermelon consumed by the household. Officers stated forensic specialists imagine unintentional seepage from agricultural contamination seems unlikely, as watermelon rind is thick and zinc phosphide doesn’t dissolve in water, making injection into the fruit unbelievable. Investigators suspect the poison might have been sprinkled on the fruit after it was lower.

Police at the moment are specializing in the Dokadia household’s visitors and family members and are attempting to determine anybody who might have bought zinc phosphide and visited the household’s residence between April 22 and April 25. Name element data of the household and others linked to the case are additionally being scrutinised.

“There is no such thing as a lead or suspicion on anybody to this point,” a police officer stated.

Police haven’t recovered any rat poison from the household’s residence. Statements of practically 100 individuals, together with family members, neighbours and over 20 distributors promoting rat poison within the locality, have been recorded. Investigators have additionally questioned merchants on the cell phone equipment market the place Abdullah Dokadia labored.

Regardless of the intensive probe, officers stated they haven’t discovered any proof suggesting why the household would take such an excessive step or any direct clue pointing in the direction of foul play.

Relations advised investigators that the constructing had a recurring rodent downside, as did a number of close by flats, making using rat poison, repellents and glue traps frequent within the space.