Mumbai: Forensic laboratories have been trying to answer what killed four members of the Dokadia family through samples of edible items and viscera, but multiple tests for common poisons have yielded no results. Officials hinted if this remains the case for all 54 tests, the final report could be inconclusive.While 10 standard tests typically provide confirmation in most cases, and 20 might be required to show some indication in others; officials said this case may exhaust the lab’s entire kit before the cause of death is understood.“Samples were split between the FDA, FSL, and the public health department. Bacterial or fungal causes cannot be ruled out but FDA could not test for them. If at all the FSL reports are inconclusive, the medical side will have to provide the final opinion,” said a forensic labs official.The deceased Bhendi Bazaar residents have been identified as Abdulla Dokadia, 44, who owned a mobile phone accessories shop in Andheri; his wife, Nasreen, 35; and daughters Ayesha, 16, and Zainab, 12. Their deaths in quick succession have been linked to a watermelon but FDA tests have ruled out additives and colours from the samples collected.Dr Rukmani Krishnamurthy, the city’s top forensic expert and former FSL director of eight years, explained that if a toxin has metabolised in the body, it is very difficult to detect it in forensic analysis. She noted that reports can also be inconclusive if the sample is insufficient.She said the procedures to extract chemicals are extensive. “A series of toxins, like insecticides or other chloral toxins, are seen in initial tests. But there are many groups of chemicals which are toxic in nature that will have to be ruled out,” she said.FSL tests utilise standards, controlled samples, and blanks. “If there is any peak in the data, we can spot it immediately,” Dr Krishnamurthy said. There have been previous instances where deaths occurred and the reports remained inconclusive; the medical forensic team’s opinion in such cases is the final one.
