Mumbai Police have thwarted a major mass murder conspiracy targeting the Muharram procession in the city. Fayaz Premji, a paint trader from Vimannagar in Pune, allegedly planned to distribute poison capsules to unsuspecting participants in the procession passing through the JJ and Byculla areas. He had been staying at a guest house in Mumbai’s Dongri area for several days while preparing the deadly plan. Police seized 14,900 poison capsules from his possession and took him into custody.
Premji had ordered 50 kilograms of zinc phosphide, a rat poison, and was filling one gram into each capsule in his room, with a target of preparing 30,000 capsules in total. The plot unravelled in the early hours of June 26 when a procession participant fell seriously ill with vomiting and stomach pain after consuming one of the capsules. Alerted police immediately detained Premji, who was distributing the capsules without any authorisation.
Disturbing international angles are also emerging. Investigations revealed that Premji travelled to Iran and Iraq multiple times between 2019 and 2025, including 19 trips in the past year alone. His sister works as a physiotherapist in Iran and his mother currently resides there. Police are closely examining his mobile phone and bank transactions to determine whether any international terrorist organisation was involved or whether he was acting at someone’s behest.
Cases under BNS Sections 109, 110, and 123, covering attempted murder and poisoning, have been registered against the accused. DCP Jayant Meena stated that police had averted a catastrophe by intercepting the plot in time. Security has been heightened across Mumbai, and the public has been advised not to consume any food or substances offered by unknown individuals during festivals and processions.