Mumbai: Mumbai Police arrested a man for allegedly distributing capsules filled with zinc phosphide, a highly toxic rat poison, during a Muharram procession in Mumbai.
A police patrol team spotted the man handing out capsules to people in the procession, according to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Zone-I) Jayant Meena.
“Last night, during the Muharram procession under the jurisdiction of Byculla Police, a Mumbai Police patrol team found a man distributing capsules to people participating in the procession. Becoming suspicious, the police seized all the capsules in his possession,” Meena said.
The suspect, identified as Faiyaz Premji, was detained and 14,900 capsules allegedly filled with zinc phosphide was seized from his possession.
A few hours later, Byculla Police Station received a Medico-Legal Case (MLC) report about one Salman Syed, who complained of stomach pain and vomiting after allegedly consuming one of the capsules.
The accused told investigators that his intention was to target the Muharram procession.
“For this purpose, he had allegedly procured 50 kilograms of zinc phosphide, a poisonous substance, and had also ordered 30,000 empty capsules,” DCP Meena said.
A case has been registered under Sections 109, 110 and 123 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges related to administering poison and attempt to murder.
In their investigation, police are trying to find out details of the accused and whether the alleged conspiracy can be linked to a larger network or the accused acted under someone’s instruction.
The accused person’s mobile phone, digital records, financial transactions and contacts are being examined thoroughly.
