4 deaths trigger watermelon scare in Mumbai; probe slows, traders pull fruit off shelves

MUMBAI: As the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) faces delays in testing food samples in four deaths linked to a watermelon, its investigators have also hit a new roadblock: Random sampling has been delayed due to a total disappearance of watermelons from local markets.

Results for the items seized from the Dakodia family's Bhendi Bazaar home-including watermelon, raw rice, pulao-biryani, half-eaten dates and water mixed with a cinnamon-like powder-were expected on Wednesday, but officials said the reports could take another couple of days.

An FDA food department official added, "As a precautionary public measure, we need to test watermelons within a five- to 10-km radius of the incident. But from Wadala to Byculla, there isn't a watermelon to be found to proceed with the investigation." For the probe, the FDA officials need 500 gm of watermelon, in four parts from different areas near the incident site.

Police officials, meanwhile, said they are awaiting FDA as well as forensic results to proceed further with the probe.

The deceased were identified as Abdulla Dakodia, 44, who owned a mobile phone accessories shop in Andheri; his wife, Nasreen, 35; and daughters Ayesha, 16, and Zainab, 12.

Ali Ahmed Querishi of the Null Bazar Fruit and Vegetable Market Association said the vendors are reluctant to keep watermelons. "Traders do not want panic among people as it results in loss for them. Moreover, at the moment, police are also questioning the sellers."

On Tuesday, there were rumours of more residents taken to J J Hospital due to watermelon-linked poisoning, prompting the hospital to clarify that there were no such admissions.


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