A couple and their two minor daughters died after a meal at a family get-together at their home in south Mumbai, police said on Monday. The family had consumed watermelon after dinner, with food poisoning suspected to be the cause of their deaths.
The deceased included Abdullah (40), his wife Nasrin (35), and daughters Zainab (13) and Ayesha (16). The couple and their children were first rushed to a private hospital after they began experiencing vomiting and giddiness.
However, their condition worsened, following which they were shifted to JJ Hospital, where they succumbed on Sunday. Abdullah was the last to die around 10.30 pm on Sunday.
According to an official, Abdullah and Nasrin had organised a small get-together on April 25 (Saturday) at their JJ Marg residence. The family, along with five other guests, had ‘chicken pilav’ (‘pulao/pulav’) as a main course for dinner.
After the guests left, the four consumed watermelon, and soon after began experiencing vomiting and giddiness, PTI cited the official as saying. The official further stated that prima facie, the case appears to be that of food poisoning from the watermelon, given that those who only ate the ‘pilav’ had not faced any health concerns.
A case of accidental death has been registered, and further probe into the incident is underway, the official stated.
According to experts, a watermelon can, in rare cases, cause food poisoning and lead to health complications. The fruit's high water and natural sugar content make it an environment where bacteria can multiply quickly if contamination occurs.
