50 Kg Poison And 30,000 Empty Capsules: Inside Fayyaz Premji's Alleged Muharram Mass Killing Plot

Last Updated:June 28, 2026, 22:23 IST

Premji passed off the capsules as vitamin supplements and immunity boosters. At least 11 people fell ill after consuming the capsules.

When Mumbai Police searched a rented room in the city’s Dongri area this week, they stumbled upon what appeared to be a makeshift poison factory.

Inside, they found nearly 50 kg of zinc phosphide, a highly toxic rodenticide, around 30,000 empty capsules and approximately 15,000 capsules allegedly filled with poison. Investigators believe each capsule, painstakingly prepared by hand over several days, contained roughly one gram of zinc phosphide.

The room belonged to Fayyaz Premji, who allegedly confessed that he intended to distribute the poison-laced capsules during a Muharram procession and kill as many as 15,000 people. Investigators told broadcaster NDTV that Fayyaz planned to prepare a total of 30,000 capsules before police arrested him and recovered the cache.

Zinc phosphide is a rodenticide widely used to protect crops by killing rats and other rodents. Though commonly used in agriculture, it is extremely toxic to humans.

When ingested, zinc phosphide reacts with hydrochloric acid in the stomach to release phosphine gas, a highly poisonous substance that rapidly damages the body’s cells and vital organs. Initial symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, dizziness and headache.

In severe poisoning cases, victims can suffer pulmonary oedema, cardiac arrest, liver failure and kidney failure. Even relatively small quantities can prove fatal if treatment is not administered immediately.

Police said Premji allegedly passed off the capsules as vitamin supplements and immunity boosters. Unable to distribute all of them himself, he is accused of recruiting unsuspecting volunteers to hand them out during the religious procession, telling them they were helping devotees.

Investigators told NDTV the alleged plot was meticulously planned over several weeks. According to investigators, Premji rented the Dongri room and allegedly used it as an operational base while preparing thousands of poison-filled capsules.

At least 11 people fell ill after consuming the capsules, police said. Salman Syed and Ali Abbas, two of those affected, told the broadcaster they had been told the pills were vitamin supplements and immunity boosters. Both began vomiting almost immediately after consuming the capsules and were rushed to hospital. All those admitted are reported to be out of danger.

Who Is Fayyaz Premji?

Fayyaz Premji was arrested on June 27 near Rahmatabad graveyard in Mumbai. A native of Pune’s Viman Nagar, he is divorced and runs a painting business.

While investigators are yet to establish a motive behind the alleged plot, several details about his background have come under scrutiny, including his frequent visits to Iran and Iraq.

According to investigators, Premji’s mother and sister live in Iran. Between 2019 and 2025, he made several trips to the two West Asian countries. Over the last 12 months alone, he is said to have travelled to Iran and Iraq 19 times.

Police are examining his financial transactions, mobile phone records, digital communications and contacts to determine whether he acted alone or whether the alleged conspiracy involved a larger terror network or external handlers.

Premji has allegedly confessed that he wanted to kill “15,000 people". Investigators are continuing to verify the circumstances surrounding the alleged confession.

The Mumbai Police, along with the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and other central agencies, are continuing their investigation. The seized capsules have been sent for forensic examination, while investigators continue to examine whether Premji acted alone or was assisted by others.

About the Author

Shankhyaneel Sarkar

Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has c...Read More

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