Mystery Deepens Over Indian Family’s ‘Watermelon Deaths’ as Rat Poison Found in Fruit

Indian investigators say they are still struggling to determine how a family of four died after consuming watermelon laced with rat poison in a case that has shocked the country and triggered widespread panic over food safety.

The victims, identified as Abdullah Dokadia, his wife Nasreen, and their daughters Ayesha and Zainab, were found dead after falling seriously ill at their home in Mumbai’s Pydhonie on April 25.

The tragedy quickly became known across Indian media as the “watermelon deaths” after reports revealed the family had eaten the fruit shortly before becoming violently ill.

Authorities last week confirmed that forensic tests detected zinc phosphide, a highly toxic chemical commonly used in rat poison, in the family’s organs and in remnants of the watermelon they consumed.

However, investigators say the discovery has only deepened the mystery.

“We are still collecting evidence and looking at all angles for motives,” a senior Mumbai police officer told the BBC. “We have not ruled out homicide, accidental death or suicide.”

According to investigators, the Dokadia family had hosted relatives for dinner on the night of the incident, serving biriyani before the guests departed around 10:30 p.m.

Hours later, the family reportedly ate watermelon at home and soon began suffering severe vomiting and diarrhoea.

Neighbours rushed to assist after hearing of their distress. One resident, Dr Zaid Qureshi, said he attempted CPR on the youngest daughter after noticing she was struggling to breathe.

The four family members were taken to hospital but later died.

The incident sparked nationwide concern in India, where watermelon is one of the country’s most widely consumed summer fruits. Reports linking the deaths to contaminated watermelon caused demand to collapse in some Mumbai fruit markets, with traders reporting sharp price drops.

Forensic experts later clarified that zinc phosphide, not the fruit itself, caused the deaths.

According to Dr Vijay Thakare, director of Mumbai’s Forensic Science Laboratory, traces of the toxic chemical were found in the victims’ liver, kidneys, spleen, stomach contents and abdominal fat, as well as in samples of the watermelon recovered from the house.

Police confirmed that none of the other food items seized from the family’s home tested positive for the poison.

Investigators say one of the biggest unanswered questions remains how the toxic substance entered the watermelon.

The building where the Dokadias lived reportedly has a serious rodent problem, with residents frequently using rat poison and other pest control products.

Medical experts say zinc phosphide is extremely dangerous even in very small amounts.

Mumbai based physician Dr Bhushan Rokade explained that the chemical produces phosphine gas when ingested or exposed to moisture, preventing the body’s cells from utilizing oxygen properly and leading to rapid organ failure.

Symptoms include vomiting, chest tightness, breathing difficulties and shock.

Police say they have questioned between 40 and 50 people, including relatives, neighbours, colleagues and friends of the family, as investigations continue.

Authorities insist they will continue examining all possibilities until the circumstances surrounding the deaths are fully established.