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Last Updated:May 08, 2026, 14:21 IST
Police are now investigating whether the deaths were the result of a mass suicide or whether the poison was mixed into the watermelon through some other means.
Is There A Cure? There is currently no specific antidote for zinc phosphide poisoning. Treatment mainly focuses on emergency supportive care and preventing further damage to the organs. Doctors typically attempt to stabilise breathing and heart function, remove remaining poison from the stomach if detected early, provide oxygen support, treat shock and dehydration, monitor heart rhythm and organ function and manage seizures and complications. Patients often require intensive care monitoring. Medical experts stress that immediate hospital treatment significantly improves survival chances. Delays in treatment can prove fatal because phosphine gas acts rapidly inside the body.
After confirming the presence of rat poison in the victims’ bodies, investigators have now recovered rat poison from the home of the Dokadia family in Mumbai’s Pydhonie, marking a major development in the mysterious deaths of four family members.
Police seized two packets of rat poison and a rat poison spray from the family’s residence in Mughal Building, while forensic tests also detected traces of the poison in the watermelon consumed by the victims.
Officials said one packet of rat poison was found sealed, while the spray appeared to have been used. Sources said the Mughal Building, where the Dokadia family lived, had a severe rat infestation.
Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) findings have reportedly confirmed that all four family members died due to rat poison consumption. Traces of zinc phosphide were detected in the bodies of the deceased as well as in watermelon samples collected during the investigation.
The case dates back to April 26, when four members of the Dokadia family died within hours of each other in Mumbai’s Pydhonie area, triggering panic and widespread concern.
The deceased were identified as Abdullah Dokadia (44), his wife Nasreen (35), and their daughters Ayesha (16) and Zainab (13).
Initial suspicion had centred around contaminated watermelon after investigators found that all four family members had consumed the fruit the previous night.
However, after nearly 11 days of investigation, officials say the probe has reached a significant breakthrough with forensic confirmation of poisoning. Police are now investigating whether the deaths were the result of a mass suicide or whether the poison was mixed into the watermelon through some other means.
Investigators are trying to determine how zinc phosphide entered the fruit and whether it was consumed intentionally or accidentally.
Officials said no possibility has been ruled out so far, and investigators are awaiting final forensic findings and circumstantial evidence to establish the exact chain of events leading to the deaths.
The case, which initially sparked fears over food safety in Mumbai, has now shifted towards a deeper investigation into possible deliberate poisoning.
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News india Mumbai Watermelon Death Case: Mystery Deepens As Rat Poison Spray, Packets Seized From Family’s Home
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