3 min readMumbaiUpdated: May 12, 2026 05:31 PM IST
Two weeks have passed since a couple and their two daughters from Mumbai’s Pydhonie died within hours of each other, but police are yet to find what led to their deaths, and whether it was a suicide pact or a murder plot.
Earlier, zinc phosphide, frequently used as rat poison, was confirmed as the cause of their deaths. It was found that the watermelon they ate at night was poisoned. But police have not found rat poison at the family’s home.
Police have so far recorded statements of approximately 100 people, including relatives of the Dokadia family, neighbours, and more than 20 vendors who sell rat poison in the area. They have also spoken to people at the mobile phone accessories market where Abdullah worked. But they have found no leads that could help them solve the mystery surrounding the deaths of four family members, a police officer said.
On the night of April 25, Abdullah Dokadia (40), his wife Nasreen Dokadia (35), and daughters Ayesha (16) and Zainab (13) had dinner with five other relatives. Around 1.30 am, the family of four ate a watermelon, and all four died within the next 12 hours.
Police are focusing on the Dokadias’ guests and relatives, and trying to find out if anyone who bought rat poison visited the Dokadia family’s residence between April 22 and April 25. The call records of family and others are also being scrutinised to get leads and to try and determine how the rat poison reached the Dokadia family home, said a police officer.
CCTV footage from the area has been checked, but there are no significant leads. The forensic lab and histopathology reports have confirmed the presence of zinc phosphide in traces. The police are currently awaiting the final report from JJ Hospital.
It is not clear how the rat poison ended up in the watermelon, leading to the deaths. Police have also not recovered a bottle that may have contained the pesticide. A senior officer said such a bottle may have been flushed down the toilet or thrown in the garbage, and it is practically impossible to inspect the garbage in the narrow lane near the family home, where several families throw their waste.
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Relatives of the Dokadia family said their residence had a rodent problem, as did several other flats in the building. So it was natural for the family to use rat repellents and glue pads.
Police officers said Ayesha Dokadia was in Class 10 and had scored 70 per cent in her examination. The police have now expanded their investigation to the schools and tuition classes where Abdullah’s daughters were studying. Their friends and teachers are being questioned to gather information about the family’s mental state and recent behaviour.
