AHMEDABAD: What was initially believed to be a case of food poisoning linked to contaminated dosa batter has taken a disturbing turn, with investigators now probing whether two young sisters were deliberately killed by their parents due to a preference for a male child.
The victims—three-month-old Raha and four-year-old Mishri Prajapati—were found dead under circumstances first attributed to accidental poisoning. However, new evidence has raised serious doubts about that theory.
Police said a diary recovered from the maternal grandparents’ house revealed that the girls’ mother, Bhavna, had expressed a strong desire for a son and had written about visiting a temple if her wish was fulfilled.
Investigators have also questioned the father, Vimal Prajapati. According to officials, toxicology reports detected aluminium phosphide—a highly toxic substance commonly used in pesticides and rodenticides—in the parents’ blood.
Police further revealed that Vimal had purchased 10 packets of a wheat preservative containing aluminium phosphide. While he accounted for eight packets, he was unable to explain the whereabouts of the remaining two.
Bhavna remains hospitalised, while Vimal and other family members, including his parents Gaurishankar and Kusum Prajapati, have been questioned. Authorities also noted ongoing family disputes over financial issues.
The case is now being treated as a possible homicide, with investigators examining whether the deaths were linked to gender bias and deliberate poisoning rather than accidental contamination.
Further forensic analysis and questioning are underway as police work to establish the exact sequence of events.
