Four members of a Mumbai family died in circumstances linked to a watermelon. The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration is investigating the deaths but is facing significant delays in both testing and sampling.
The deceased have been identified as Abdulla Dakodia (44), a mobile phone accessories shop owner from Andheri. He was accompanied by his wife Nasreen (35) and daughters Ayesha (16) and Zainab (12).
The family lived in Bhendi Bazaar, as cited by Times of India.
The investigation
Times of India further reported FDA officials seized several items from the Dakodia family home, including watermelon, raw rice, pulao-biryani, half-eaten dates, and water mixed with a cinnamon-like powder.
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Test results were expected on Wednesday but officials said reports could take a further couple of days. Police said they are waiting for both FDA and forensic results before advancing their probe.
A market gone empty
As per the report of Times of India, FDA investigators need 500 grams of watermelon, collected in four parts from different areas near the incident site, to proceed with random sampling. However, the fruit has vanished entirely from local markets. An FDA food department official stated that as a precautionary public measure, the agency needed to test watermelons within a 5-10 kilometre radius of the incident, but there was not a watermelon to be found from Wadala to Byculla to proceed with the investigation.
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Ali Ahmed Querishi of the Null Bazar Fruit and Vegetable Market Association said traders do not want panic among people, as it results in loss for them. He added that at the moment, police are also questioning sellers, making vendors more reluctant to stock the fruit.
Rumours and clarifications
On Tuesday, rumours spread that more residents had been taken to J J Hospital due to watermelon-linked poisoning. The hospital denied these claims, clarifying that no such admissions had taken place, as said by the report of Times of India.
