A suspected food poisoning incident in Mumbai, India, has left an entire family dead within 12 hours after they reportedly developed severe symptoms following a meal and eating watermelon at home.
According to NDTV, 40-year-old Abdulla, along with his wife and two daughters, had dinner with relatives at a restaurant on April 25 at around 10.30pm, where they consumed biryani before returning home.
After arriving home, the family ate watermelon. They did not initially show any signs of illness, but began experiencing severe vomiting and diarrhoea between 5am and 6am the following morning.
Their condition rapidly worsened despite receiving initial treatment from a family doctor. They were later rushed to hospital, where all four were pronounced dead.
Police have since recovered leftover watermelon from the home and sent it for laboratory testing. Post-mortem examinations are also being conducted to determine whether the deaths were caused by toxins, chemical contamination, or bacterial infection.
Health experts noted that watermelon, due to its high water and sugar content, can become a breeding ground for bacteria if improperly stored or contaminated. In some cases, concerns have also been raised about adulteration practices that may increase microbial growth.
Specialists also warned that contamination by bacteria such as Salmonella, Listeria, or E. coli can trigger acute gastroenteritis, which may lead to dehydration, sepsis, or organ failure in severe cases, particularly among children and vulnerable individuals.
Experts further advised that digestion tends to slow at night, which could worsen the effects of consuming contaminated food. They recommended that consumers be cautious about the source and storage of fruits and avoid unsafe handling practices to reduce health risks.
