Mumbai family of four dies overnight after meal, food poisoning suspected

In the crowded lanes of Mumbai’s Paydhuni, what began as a routine family dinner ended in a devastating mystery recently. Four members of the Dokadia family were found dead within hours of sharing a meal at home, leaving behind grief, shock and unanswered questions.

Abdullah Dokadia, 40, his wife Nasreen, 35, and their daughters Ayesha, 16, and Zainab, 13, died under what officials have described as “suspicious circumstances”, with initial indications pointing to a possible case of food poisoning.

According to preliminary accounts, the family had hosted relatives for dinner on April 25. The evening unfolded like many others — food was shared, conversations lingered, and by around 10:30 pm, the guests had left. Later that night, the family reportedly ate watermelon before going to bed.

Within hours, the situation took a drastic turn.

Eyewitness recounts final moments

A doctor living in the same building was among the first to respond when the family’s condition worsened. What he encountered inside the house was deeply distressing.

“This incident happened on the second floor and I live on the fourth floor. When I reached, there were four people inside, including two daughters and the husband. They were in a drowsy state. One of the daughters was gasping for breath. She was panting and had no pulse,” he said.

Realizing the severity, he immediately began CPR on the teenager.

“But she was not reviving. We rushed her to a nearby hospital, but by the time she reached there, she was already dead,” he added.

Rapid deterioration, desperate race to hospital

Police said the family began experiencing symptoms in the early hours of April 26 —vomiting, diarrhoea and severe weakness. Their condition deteriorated rapidly between 5 am and 6 am, prompting an urgent rush to hospital.

They were first taken to a nearby facility and later referred to JJ Hospital. Despite efforts by doctors, all four died during treatment.

Local resident Dr Zaid Qureshi said the decline was sudden and severe. “They had vomiting, diarrhoea and weakness. They were rushed to hospital, but could not be saved,” he said.

Police begin probe, samples sent for testing

Deputy Commissioner of Police Pravin Munde confirmed that an accidental death report has been registered at JJ Marg police station.

“Four members of a family — husband, wife and their two daughters — have died. On April 25, they had called relatives home and ate together. Later at night, around 1 am, they ate watermelon. By early morning, they started complaining of vomiting and loose motions,” he said.

Authorities have collected food samples and biological specimens during the postmortem to determine the exact cause of death. While food poisoning remains the primary suspicion, officials have not ruled out other possibilities.

“The postmortem has been conducted. Food samples and body samples have been taken. Further investigation is underway,” Munde said.

Political reaction calls for accountability

The incident has also drawn political attention. Waris Pathan, national spokesperson of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, termed the deaths “heart-wrenching” and demanded a thorough investigation.

“This is an extremely tragic and serious incident. The government must find the real cause of the deaths and make the report public,” he said.

A night that ended in silence

For neighbors, the tragedy is difficult to comprehend — a family seen together just hours earlier, gone by morning. What exactly turned a shared meal into a fatal episode remains unclear.

As forensic reports are awaited, investigators are working to piece together the final hours of the Dokadia family. Until then, the quiet home in Paydhuni stands as a stark reminder of how swiftly life can unravel — turning an ordinary night into an irreversible loss.