A family of four was wiped out after eating a watermelon laced with rat poison.
Abdullah Dokadia, his wife Nasreen and their teenage daughters Ayesha and Zainab fell ill shortly after eating watermelon at their home.
They were taken to a local hospital with vomiting, diarrhoea, dizziness and stomach pain.
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The youngest passed away after experiencing difficulty breathing and failing to respond to CPR on the night of 25 April.
The others were transferred to a larger facility, where they also died.
Forensic tests later revealed zinc phosphide in the deceased’s livers, kidneys, spleens, stomach contents, bile and abdominal fat.
Of all the food samples tested from the family home, only the remains of the consumed watermelon tested positive for the rodenticide.
No additional traces of zinc phosphide were found elsewhere inside the flat in Mumbai, India, as reported by Need To Know.
After weeks of investigating, police increasingly suspect a deliberate act.
They believe the toxic compound may have been mixed with salt and rubbed on the fruit before it was eaten.
Officers have sent salt samples from the family home for detailed testing.
Murder and murder-suicide are among the lines of investigation. The family had hosted relatives for dinner just hours before falling ill.
However, police have not ruled out accidental poisoning, as it is known the block of flats has a rodent problem.
So far, statements have been taken from more than 100 people as part of the ongoing investigation, according to local media.
Once swallowed, zinc phosphide reacts with stomach acid and releases a deadly gas called phosphine.
The gas attacks the body’s cells, stopping them from producing energy. This can quickly shut down vital organs, including the heart, liver and lungs.
Victims can suffer violent vomiting, stomach pain and rapid collapse. In severe cases, organ failure and death can follow within hours.
There is no specific antidote, and treatment is largely supportive in intensive care.
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