MUMBAI: Byculla police have arrested a 39-year-old Pune resident after they caught him distributing capsules mixed with zinc phosphide, a highly toxic acute rodenticide to control rats and mice, to devotees participating in a Moharram procession at Byculla late on Friday.Police recovered 1,400 capsule from Faiyyaz Premji, a resident of Viman Nagar in Pune.One of the devotees, Salman Sayeed, 26, who had allegedly consumed one of the capsules, later complained of vomiting and discomfort. He was rushed to a hospital, where he underwent treatment and is now reported to be out of danger. During questioning, Premji claimed that the capsules were intended to relieve pain suffered by devotees participating in self-flagellation and other acts of mourning during Moharram.

A team led by Byculla police station senior inspector Deepak Sawant, deployed for bandobast during Friday’s procession, noticed the accused allegedly distributing capsules. Officers immediately detained him before he could hand out more capsules.According to the police, Premji, who holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, allegedly procured the capsules through an online platform. He was found staying in a hotel in Dongri.

Based on Sayeed’s complaint, the Byculla police registered an FIR under Section 123 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, that penalises administering or causing someone to take poison, stupefying, intoxicating or unwholesome drugs.During interrogation, Premji failed to provide a convincing explanation for allegedly distributing the capsules. Police are also verifying if he is mentally unstable.The seized capsules have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for chemical analysis to confirm their composition.

Preliminary examination indicates that they contain zinc phosphide, a highly poisonous chemical.Investigators are also probing the accused’s background after learning that he had travelled to Iraq and Iran in the past. Police are probing how the accused procured such a large quantity of capsules online and if any other persons were involved in the alleged act.