Mumbai Police Foil Massive Poisoning Plot Targeting Muharram Procession
Mumbai police arrested Faiyaz Premji for allegedly plotting a mass poisoning at a Muharram procession. Authorities recovered nearly 15,000 capsules containing zinc phosphide, intended to cause mass casualties among participants. The suspect is currently facing charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Highlights
- •Mumbai police foiled a mass poisoning plot targeting a Muharram procession.
- •Authorities seized 14,900 capsules filled with lethal zinc phosphide.
- •The suspect, Faiyaz Premji, allegedly intended to harm at least 15,000 people.
- •The suspect has been charged under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
Law enforcement authorities in Mumbai have thwarted a potentially catastrophic event involving a planned mass poisoning during a religious gathering. A suspect identified as Faiyaz Premji was taken into custody after allegedly attempting to distribute thousands of capsules filled with a lethal substance at a Muharram procession.
According to official police reports, the suspect is accused of aiming to inflict mass casualties, with investigators citing a target of approximately 15,000 individuals. Authorities successfully recovered 14,900 capsules containing zinc phosphide, a highly toxic chemical compound typically utilized as rat poison. This investigation into the mass poisoning plot highlights the swift response of local security teams in preventing a tragedy.
Details of the Attempted Mass Poisoning Plot
The investigation revealed that Faiyaz Premji had meticulously prepared for the incident over a two-week period while staying at a hotel in South Mumbai. He had allegedly procured roughly 50 kilograms of zinc phosphide along with 30,000 empty medicinal capsules from online sources. During the Ashura procession, held on the tenth day of Muharram, the suspect reportedly misled participants by claiming the capsules were painkillers intended to alleviate the discomfort of those performing acts of self-flagellation.
The incident surfaced after a participant named Salman Sayyed experienced severe physiological distress, including vomiting and intense abdominal pain, following the ingestion of the substance. After being admitted to a medical facility, the hospital staff promptly notified the police. Preliminary efforts by a police patrol team had already flagged the suspect due to his unauthorized distribution of medical items during the event.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Zone-I) Jayant Meena confirmed that the suspect was traced and apprehended following the medico-legal report. Faiyaz Premji has since provided a confession regarding his intentions. The recovered capsules contain a chemical that releases phosphine gas upon reaction with stomach acid, a process capable of inducing rapid multi-organ failure and death.
Faiyaz Premji, who manages a family paint business in Pune and holds a BBA degree, has been formally booked under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, including charges related to attempted murder and the distribution of poisonous substances. While officials continue to examine his history of international travel to Iran and Iraq, the precise motive behind this alarming mass poisoning plot remains under investigation. The prompt intervention by the Mumbai Police is credited with preventing a major loss of life among the thousands of mourners gathered for the religious observances.
