Mumbai police are investigating how a deadly rat poison ended up on a watermelon that killed an entire family in one of India’s most perplexing toxicology cases in recent memory.
The tragedy claimed the lives of Abdullah Dokadia, 40, his wife Nasreen, 35, and their daughters Ayesha, 16, and Zainab, 13, who fell violently ill in the early morning hours of April 26, 2026, after eating watermelon at their home in Mumbai’s Pydhonie neighborhood. All four died within hours, and forensic tests later revealed they had ingested zinc phosphide, a highly toxic chemical commonly used as rat poison.
Nearly a month after the family was discovered dead on April 25, investigators still cannot explain how the poison came to contaminate the fruit, leaving open the possibilities of accident, suicide, or foul play. The case has sent shockwaves through Mumbai, causing watermelon sales to plummet and turning what Indian media dubbed the “watermelon deaths” into a national talking point.
The Fatal Night
The evening of April 25 began routinely for the Dokadia family. They entertained relatives for dinner, serving biryani, and their guests departed around 10:30 p.m. Between 1:00 a.m. and 1:30 a.m., the four family members ate watermelon together.
Within hours, all were suffering from vomiting and diarrhea. Neighbors in the building came to their aid, including Dr. Zaid Qureshi, a fourth-floor resident who found Zainab, the youngest daughter, in respiratory distress.
“I noticed that the youngest of the four individuals was experiencing difficulty breathing. I administered CPR. However, as her condition did not improve, she was taken to a nearby hospital. She passed away,” Qureshi told BBC Marathi.
The other three family members were rushed to JJ Hospital in Mumbai, where doctors performed stomach wash procedures and administered intensive care. Zainab died at 10:15 a.m. on April 26. Nasreen and Ayesha died shortly thereafter. Abdullah survived until 10:30 p.m. that evening before succumbing to the poison.
The Forensic Breakthrough
Forensic investigators from Mumbai’s Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) conducted 54 separate tests on items seized from the Dokadia apartment, including kitchen utensils, spices, food samples, and critically, the remains of the watermelon. The State Food and Drug Administration also analyzed materials for possible adulteration.
After 11 days of testing, the FSL delivered its report on May 7. Zinc phosphide had been found in the viscera of all four victims — present in their liver, kidney, spleen, stomach contents, bile, and abdominal fat. The same chemical was detected in the watermelon samples, but nowhere else.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Pravin Mundhe confirmed that an accidental death report has been filed, while the JJ Marg police station continues interviewing relatives and neighbors. Post-mortem examinations listed zinc phosphide poisoning as the cause of death for all four family members.
As of May 19, police have sent additional salt samples from the home to the FSL for further analysis. Investigators now believe the poison may have been mixed with salt and sprinkled onto the cut watermelon, which would have masked the chemical with only an unusual salty taste. More than 100 people have been questioned in connection with the deaths.
A Rapid and Brutal Killer
Zinc phosphide is an inorganic compound containing phosphorus and zinc, widely available in India as a rodenticide. Once swallowed, it reacts with stomach acid to release phosphine gas, a highly toxic substance that infiltrates cells and destroys their ability to generate energy.
Symptoms emerge within 30 minutes to an hour: vomiting, dizziness, difficulty breathing, and convulsions. In severe poisoning, victims experience liver and kidney failure, delirium, and coma. Forensic experts cited in reporting on the case say effective treatment exists only within a roughly one-hour window after ingestion.
Dr. Hemalata Arora, an internal medicine specialist, noted that stomach washing is only effective during that brief period. Dr. Rukmani Krishnamurthy, a former FSL director, said zinc phosphide typically comes in powder form, suggesting it could have been applied directly to the fruit. Forensic officials Dr. Bhushan Rokade and Dr. Sanjay Surase have contributed to the investigation, with experts noting that the youngest daughter likely died first because her smaller body was less able to withstand the toxin.
A Market in Crisis
The incident has sparked panic across Mumbai’s fruit markets, with watermelon sales crashing and vendors facing public suspicion. Two fruit sellers were arrested for allegedly applying rat poison to fruits, though their connection to the Dokadia case has not been confirmed.
The building where the family lived has a rodent problem, but there is no evidence the Dokadias kept rat poison in their apartment. That leaves investigators weighing whether the contamination was accidental, intentional, or the result of tampering by an unknown party.
Until authorities can determine how zinc phosphide ended up on a late-night snack, the deaths of the Dokadia family remain one of India’s most disturbing unsolved poisoning cases.
