Family members who died after consuling watermelon
Mumbai: The deaths of four members of the Dokadia family in the Pydhonie area of Mumbai have no connection with Abdullah Dokadia’s past role in a police case, Mumbai Police have confirmed, even as the probe struggles to identify the source of the watermelon consumed hours before their deaths.
Abdullah Dokadia, a 45-year-old trader who ran a mobile accessories shop, his wife Nasreen, 35, and their daughters Zainab, 13, and Ayesha, 16, had hosted a dinner for five relatives on Saturday night, serving mutton biryani. After the guests left, the family consumed watermelon at around 1 am. By 5 am, all four developed severe symptoms typically associated with food poisoning, including vomiting and diarrhoea.
According to the doctor who first treated them, the victims rapidly lost control of their limbs and had to be carried in bedsheets as they were unable to walk. They were later shifted to hospital and eventually to Sir JJ Hospital, where they were declared dead despite intensive medical efforts.
The investigation is being led by the Sir JJ Marg Police Station, with officials awaiting the final forensic report from the Forensic Science Laboratory in Kalina. Senior Police Inspector Raees Shaikh told Organiser that claims about Abdullah being a witness in a case involving a builder are incorrect. He clarified that Dokadia had only acted as a mediator in a Section 498A domestic assault matter and that this angle has been examined and ruled out in connection with the deaths.
Investigators have noted that the relatives who attended the dinner consumed only the biryani and left before the watermelon was cut. None of them have reported any illness, which has narrowed suspicion toward the fruit consumed later in the night.
Reports citing alleged forensic findings about green discoloration of internal organs and the possible presence of toxic substances have surfaced in sections of the media. Some reports also claimed that morphine was detected in Abdullah Dokadia’s body. Police have dismissed these claims, with Shaikh stating that the team is still awaiting the complete forensic analysis and that no confirmed findings have been shared so far.
Tracing the source of the watermelon remains a key challenge. Before his condition worsened, Abdullah reportedly mentioned that he had purchased the fruit from a vendor in the Null Bazar area. Police say this has not helped significantly, given the size and density of the market, and the specific seller has not yet been identified.
In the aftermath of the incident, watermelon sales in parts of the locality have been affected. Vendors who specialised in selling the fruit are reportedly missing from the area, while other shopkeepers have either stopped stocking it or faced returns from concerned buyers.
