Staff mixed poison in panjiri: Punjab woman alleges attempt to kill family
Several members of a Mohali family were hospitalised in Germany after consuming panjiri allegedly laced with thallium, with doctors confirming poisoning and the woman accusing her employee of attempting mass murder.
In a shocking allegation from Punjab's Mohali district, a woman has accused her employee of attempting to kill her entire family by contaminating a traditional sweet with a highly toxic chemical.
Rachna Kapoor, 49, director of Global Vision Network, claimed that thallium was mixed into the 'panjiri' she prepared to celebrate the birth of her granddaughter in Germany. Within days of consuming it, several family members fell critically ill. Kapoor's daughter, advocate Ranjita Batra, her mother-in-law, brother-in-law, and sister-in-law are currently in the ICU on ventilators at a hospital in Hamburg.
Kapoor herself became seriously ill and was airlifted from Germany to India. She was initially admitted to Medanta Hospital, then shifted to Ganga Ram Hospital, and is currently undergoing treatment at Paras Hospital in New Delhi. Doctors have confirmed that the illness was caused by thallium poisoning and not any natural disease.
Describing the incident as an "attempted mass murder", Kapoor said all affected members of her family required ventilator support within five days of consuming the 'panjiri'. She alleged that even the newborn granddaughter, who had been breastfed for only a day, was affected, with traces of thallium found in her body.
According to medical reports from Germany, the newborn's blood contained 47.0 units of thallium, far above the normal 0.2 units, while Ranjita Batra's level was recorded at a dangerously high 9,984.0. Doctors explained that thallium is an extremely potent poison that damages the body internally and often escapes detection in early tests.
Kapoor suspected her employee, Amit Dubey, a Himachal Pradesh native who had been living in her Mohali home for the past four years and was also associated with her organisation. She said Dubey was alone in the house when she left for Germany on December 8 and returned on December 16.
She added that German police had seized items from the house during their investigation and confirmed the presence of thallium. Copies of the report are in her possession. Based on this, Kapoor filed a written complaint with Mohali Police through her brother on January 18, but alleged that no FIR had been registered by February 4.
Earlier this week, Kapoor met Mohali SSP Harmandeep Singh Hans again, after which the case was pushed for investigation. Kapoor, however, claimed that no significant action has been taken so far, demanding first and foremost that an FIR be registered.
She said an antidote for thallium poisoning has recently become available in India, produced by only three companies. Kapoor requires the medication three times a day and is still unable to stand without support.
Kapoor also alleged that her employee remained in regular contact with her while she was in Germany. But when she questioned him about the poisoning, he suddenly disappeared. All three of his mobile phones are switched off, and important items including the company's letterhead, seals, checkbook, and other documents are missing from the house.
Rachna Kapoor has called for a high-level investigation into the incident and for the safety of her family.
In a shocking allegation from Punjab's Mohali district, a woman has accused her employee of attempting to kill her entire family by contaminating a traditional sweet with a highly toxic chemical.
Rachna Kapoor, 49, director of Global Vision Network, claimed that thallium was mixed into the 'panjiri' she prepared to celebrate the birth of her granddaughter in Germany. Within days of consuming it, several family members fell critically ill. Kapoor's daughter, advocate Ranjita Batra, her mother-in-law, brother-in-law, and sister-in-law are currently in the ICU on ventilators at a hospital in Hamburg.
Kapoor herself became seriously ill and was airlifted from Germany to India. She was initially admitted to Medanta Hospital, then shifted to Ganga Ram Hospital, and is currently undergoing treatment at Paras Hospital in New Delhi. Doctors have confirmed that the illness was caused by thallium poisoning and not any natural disease.
Describing the incident as an "attempted mass murder", Kapoor said all affected members of her family required ventilator support within five days of consuming the 'panjiri'. She alleged that even the newborn granddaughter, who had been breastfed for only a day, was affected, with traces of thallium found in her body.
According to medical reports from Germany, the newborn's blood contained 47.0 units of thallium, far above the normal 0.2 units, while Ranjita Batra's level was recorded at a dangerously high 9,984.0. Doctors explained that thallium is an extremely potent poison that damages the body internally and often escapes detection in early tests.
Kapoor suspected her employee, Amit Dubey, a Himachal Pradesh native who had been living in her Mohali home for the past four years and was also associated with her organisation. She said Dubey was alone in the house when she left for Germany on December 8 and returned on December 16.
She added that German police had seized items from the house during their investigation and confirmed the presence of thallium. Copies of the report are in her possession. Based on this, Kapoor filed a written complaint with Mohali Police through her brother on January 18, but alleged that no FIR had been registered by February 4.
Earlier this week, Kapoor met Mohali SSP Harmandeep Singh Hans again, after which the case was pushed for investigation. Kapoor, however, claimed that no significant action has been taken so far, demanding first and foremost that an FIR be registered.
She said an antidote for thallium poisoning has recently become available in India, produced by only three companies. Kapoor requires the medication three times a day and is still unable to stand without support.
Kapoor also alleged that her employee remained in regular contact with her while she was in Germany. But when she questioned him about the poisoning, he suddenly disappeared. All three of his mobile phones are switched off, and important items including the company's letterhead, seals, checkbook, and other documents are missing from the house.
Rachna Kapoor has called for a high-level investigation into the incident and for the safety of her family.