Histopathology reports confirm forensic findings in Mumbai’s watermelon rat poison case | Mumbai News
Mumbai: Histopathology findings from J J Hospital have confirmed forensic toxicology reports of zinc phosphide (rat poison) in the Dokadia family deaths. The deaths occurred one after the other after the victims consumed a watermelon laced with the toxin.Senior doctors noted that the gross specimens, particularly the liver and kidneys, exhibited a green discoloration, which is a marker of zinc phosphide poisoning. “This is commonly seen in cases where a patient has succumbed after consuming rat poison,” said a senior doctor from the hospital.The histopathological tests are also to determine if any of the four family members had pre-existing medical conditions. A doctor from the pathology department said that final conclusions regarding the impact of these conditions would be made by the medicine department of the hospital. A doctor from the hospital’s forensic department told TOI that an official cause of death will only be certified once all findings conclude. “The histopathology results will help establish whether pre-existing health conditions contributed directly or indirectly to their deaths,” the forensic expert added.While the police investigation will determine the circumstances of the event, the forensic department at J J Hospital retains the right to dissent or accept the findings based on clinical evidence.The victims, Abdullah Dokadia (40), his wife Nasreen (35), and their daughters Aayesha (16) and Zainab (13) died on April 26. The family had consumed pulao the previous night with five other relatives, none of whom exhibited any symptoms. However, the four deceased subsequently ate a watermelon at approximately 1 am that night. By 5:30 am, they began suffering from acute vomiting and diarrhea. They were rushed to the hospital but died during treatment. About 10 days into their deaths, forensic reports noted that rat poison was found in their viscera as well as the watermelon samples.
