Another Watermelon Tragedy? After Mumbai, 15-Year Old Dies After Eating Sliced Fruit In Chhattisgarh, 3 Children Taken Ill

Raipur: Weeks after the deaths of four family members in Mumbai allegedly after having watermelon, a similar incident has emerged from Chhattisgarh, where a 15-year-old boy died and three other children fell ill after consuming the fruit, which was reportedly kept in the open for several hours.

The incident took place in Ghurkot village of Chhattisgarh’s Janjgir-Champa district. Officials said that the children ate the fruit that had been sliced in the morning and consumed later in the evening during a family gathering.

Soon after, the children reportedly began vomiting and complained of severe uneasiness. Family members rushed them to a nearby hospital, where 15-year-old Akhilesh Dheewar died during treatment. The three other children are currently stable, doctors said.

The other affected children have been identified as a four-year-old child from Awarid village, Pintu Dheewar (12) from Khatola village and Hitesh Dheewar (13) from Kotgarh village, officials said.

Doctors suspect food poisoning or bacterial contamination may have caused the illness. However, the exact reason can only be ascertained after forensic tests. According to the hospital’s civil surgeon, the watermelon had been cut on Monday morning and consumed hours later in the evening.

Officials said one uncut watermelon from the house has been sent for forensic examination as part of the probe.

What Led To Mumbai Family Deaths 

Eleven days after the four family members in Mumbai died within hours of each other, authorities discovered the remains of Zinc Phosphide, a deadly chemical often used in rat poison, in the bodies of all four deceased. The same chemical has apparently been found in watermelon samples seized from the family's house.

The incident led to the deaths of Abdullah Dokadia (44), his wife Nasreen (35), and their daughters Ayesha (16) and Zainab (13) who had hosted some relatives for dinner on the night of April 25. The relatives attended the party and left at 1 am on April 26.

Forensic teams later went to their residence to gathered samples of everything eaten that night, including all leftovers, and were sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for examination.

ALSO READ: It’s Rat Poison, Not Watermelon: Fresh Twist in Mumbai Family Death Mystery Takes Chilling Turn After 11 Days