Police said on Monday that four members of a family – a 40-year-old man, his 35-year-old wife, and their two daughters aged 16 and 13 – have died of suspected food poisoning in Mumbai’s Pydhonie area.
According to Mumbai Police, the incident traces back to the night of April 25, when nine family members, including close relatives, shared dinner at around 10:30 PM. The relatives later returned to their homes. In the early hours, between 1:00 AM and 1:30 AM, the four family members reportedly ate watermelon.
By early morning on April 26, around 5:30 to 6:00 AM, all four began showing severe symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea. They were first treated by a family doctor and later referred to JJ Hospital for further care.
Despite receiving medical treatment, the younger daughter died at around 10:15 AM, and the husband passed away later that night at approximately 10:30 PM. The wife and elder daughter also succumbed during treatment.
Post-mortem examinations have been carried out, but the exact cause of death will be confirmed only after the histopathology reports are received. An Accidental Death (AD) case has been registered at JJ Marg Police Station.
The deceased have been identified as Abdullah Dokadia (40), Nasreen Dokadia (35), and their daughters Aisha (16) and Zainab (13). Preliminary statements indicate that a family member told police the family had eaten biryani earlier, followed by watermelon later that night.
Police officials said the exact cause of the suspected food poisoning is still unclear and remains under investigation.
In a separate but similar incident, a seven-year-old child died and 18 others were hospitalised in Jharkhand’s Giridih district after allegedly consuming contaminated golgappa and chaat from a street vendor on Sunday. The incident took place in Bajto village under the Muffasil police station limits, prompting an investigation by local authorities and the health department.
Food poisoning is usually caused by eating contaminated food or drinking unsafe water, and can result in symptoms like diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea, and abdominal pain. Authorities continue to urge the public to maintain proper food hygiene and safety practices.