The deaths of four members of a family in Mumbai’s Pydhonie area, a case that had triggered days of speculation and rumours, now appear to have a far darker explanation than first believed.
Investigators have confirmed that the Dokadia family did not die after eating watermelon, despite early suspicion surrounding the fruit. Forensic examination instead found traces of zinc phosphide, a highly toxic rat poison often used inside homes and storage areas to control rodents.
The incident dates back to the night of April 25, when Abdulla Dokadia, his wife Nasrin, and their daughters Aayesha and Zaineb hosted relatives at their home in Ghari Mohalla on Ismail Kurte Road in south Mumbai. Family members who attended the gathering were reportedly served biryani before leaving later in the night.
According to investigators, the four later ate watermelon at around 1 am. By early morning, things had gone terribly wrong. Around 5 am, all four began suffering from severe vomiting, diarrhoea and extreme physical distress almost simultaneously, leaving relatives in panic as their condition rapidly worsened.
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They were first taken to a nearby medical facility before being shifted to Mumbai’s JJ Hospital, where doctors attempted to stabilise them. None of the four survived.
For several days, attention remained focused on possible food poisoning linked to the watermelon consumed that night. That theory has now been ruled out after forensic experts reportedly recovered clear signs of zinc phosphide from the victims’ samples, shifting the investigation in a completely different direction.
What investigators still cannot explain, at least for now, is how the poison entered the food consumed by the family. Police have not indicated whether they suspect foul play, negligence or deliberate consumption, and officials say no strong evidence has yet surfaced pointing towards suicide.
The case remains under investigation, but the findings have already shocked residents across the area, especially because the tragedy unfolded inside what appeared to be an ordinary family gathering that ended in unimaginable loss.