50 kg of rat poison, 30,000 capsules… How Pune man planned mass killings during Muharram procession in Mumbai

Over the weekend, a man from Maharashtra’s Pune was arrested after cops uncovered that he was planning to mass poison people during a Muharram procession in south Mumbai on Friday night.

The police identified the accused as Fayyaz Premji, stating that the 39-year-old planned to distribute capsules mixed with zinc phosphide — rat poison— at the Muharram procession in south Mumbai on Friday.

The incident has caused massive uproar, with many wondering what Premji’s motive was. As investigations continue, here’s a deep dive into Premji’s life as well as the sinister plot he had hatched.

What happened on Friday night?

>> The entire incident unfolded at a Muharram procession on Friday (June 26) in Mumbai’s Byculla area.

>> As the procession began to move, a 26-year-old identified as Salman Sayyad noted that a burqa-clad woman approached him with medicines, claiming they were painkillers.

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>> During Muharram processions, it is normal for volunteers to distribute free food, water, juice, and medicines among participants.

>> According to the police, many of the participants of the procession popped the tablets without thinking twice. But soon after, Sayyad, along with others, complained of nausea and started vomiting.

>> As the procession progressed, the condition of those who had consumed the capsules worsened, with many fainting. Some were even admitted to hospitals; all those admitted are reported to be out of danger.

>> The police note that the women, who were distributing the pills, got them from a man named as Fayyaz Premji.

>> Following their investigations, the police grabbed Premji and uncovered a sinister plot to kill many people at one time. “The unease among those who consumed the tablets grew as the hours progressed. So, we visited the guest house where Premji was staying, situated in Dongri, and found around 30,000 tablets of which 14,900 were filled with zinc phosphide,” said one police official.

>> Zinc phosphide is used to kill rodents. Farmers use it to keep rats from destroying their crops. If left untreated, it can prove fatal to humans. Once ingested, it reacts with hydrochloric acid and releases phosphine gas, which directly attacks the body’s cells and vital organs. Its symptoms develop rapidly, including nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhoea, dizziness, and headache. In severe cases, it can cause fluid accumulation in the lungs (pulmonary oedema), heart attack, and liver and kidney failure. Even a few hundred milligrams is enough to kill a person.

>> A case has been registered against Premji at the Byculla police Station under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita section 123 (causing hurt by means of poison, etc, with intent to commit an offence).

Who is Fayyaz Premji? What is his motive?

>> The police have found out that Premji is a resident of Pune’s Viman Nagar and worked with his father at their paint manufacturing unit in Pune.

>> His mother and sister live in Iran. Between 2019 and 2025, he had made multiple visits to Iran, where his sister lives, as well as Iraq. He even visited Iran three times within a 19-day span, reports NDTV.

>> A BBA graduate, Premji was a divorcee. According to those living next to him in Pune, the 39-year-old had lost his mental balance after his wife left him.

>> On his arrest, Premji reportedly confessed that he intended to distribute the capsules disguised as painkillers. “I wanted to kill at least 15,000 people,” the accused allegedly told investigators, according to the police. They added that Premji told them that he wanted to take “revenge against the whole world”.

>> Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Jayant Meena was quoted as saying, “He told us he wanted to target the procession and harm them. He had ordered 30,000 capsules online and 50 kg of zinc phosphide. He added one gram of zinc phosphide to each capsule.”

How did Premji hatch the rat poison plot?

>> Reports state that Premji had arrived in Mumbai from Pune 15 days ago. He lived in Hotel Sun Dormitory in Dongri, where he thought of this plan to feed rat poison to the members of the Muharram procession.

>> Premji, according to an NDTV report, got the idea of using rat poison from a massive rat infestation near his house in Pune. Sources note that he conducted extensive research online to understand the effects of zinc phosphide on the body.

>> He then acquired 50 kg of zinc phosphide and 30,000 capsules to carry out his plan.

>> At the Muharram procession, he also enlisted the help of other women to distribute the dangerous pills, claiming it’s a virtuous act.

With a motive unclear, the police are continuing their investigations. They are examining his financial transactions, mobile phone records, digital communications, and contacts to ascertain whether he acted alone or if foreign help was provided to him.

With inputs from agencies