A Pune-based businessman allegedly plotted to poison up to 15,000 people during a Muharram procession in Mumbai, using zinc phosphide-laced capsules prepared over several days at a rented room in the city's Dongri neighbourhood — a plan that investigators say combined online procurement, AI-assisted research, and the use of unwitting volunteers to distribute the poison.

Fayaz Premji, 39, a resident of Viman Nagar, Pune, was arrested on 27 June near Rahmatabad graveyard in Mumbai. According to Mumbai Police sources, Premji confessed during questioning that he intended to kill approximately 15,000 people.

How the Plot Was Assembled

Investigators say Premji rented a room in Dongri, which he converted into a makeshift preparation facility. He allegedly ordered nearly 50 kg of zinc phosphide — a toxic compound widely used as rodent poison — and approximately 30,000 empty capsules online, then spent days filling them individually. Each capsule reportedly contained around one gram of the chemical.

During searches, police recovered approximately 15,000 poison-filled capsules along with additional quantities of the toxic substance. The accused had reportedly planned to prepare a full batch of 30,000 capsules before the procession.

AI Tool Used to Study Lethal Doses

Investigators have established that Premji allegedly used an Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool on his mobile phone to research the effects of zinc phosphide consumption at varying quantities. His handset has been sent for forensic examination, and cyber experts are analysing his internet searches, digital communications, and browsing history to reconstruct the timeline and scope of the alleged conspiracy.

Police are also tracing how such a large quantity of zinc phosphide was procured and delivered. Officials from Mumbai Police, assisted by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and central agencies, are examining financial transactions, mobile records, and digital contacts to determine whether Premji acted alone or had accomplices.

Volunteers Duped, at Least 11 Fall Ill

According to investigators, Premji allegedly recruited several volunteers to distribute the capsules during the religious procession by falsely representing them as vitamin supplements, immunity boosters, or painkillers. The volunteers were reportedly unaware of the capsules' actual contents.

At least 11 people are believed to have consumed the capsules before falling ill. Victims, including Salman Syed and Ali Abbas, told investigators they were told the capsules would improve immunity. Both men began vomiting shortly after consumption and were rushed to hospital. Police said all those affected are now out of danger.

Profile of the Accused

Premji is a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) graduate who runs a painting business in Pune's Viman Nagar. Police have recorded the statement of his father; his mother and sister are reportedly based in Iran.

Investigators are scrutinising his travel history, which shows 19 trips to Middle Eastern countries between 2019 and 2025, including multiple visits over the past year alone. Whether these travels are linked to the alleged conspiracy is under examination.

During searches at his Pune residence, police reportedly found a large number of rats, leading investigators to believe Premji was already familiar with zinc phosphide through its use as a rodent poison. Police sources also noted that Premji told investigators he had grown deeply frustrated following personal setbacks, including the breakdown of his marriage. According to police, he claimed he wanted to take revenge on everyone — describing a mindset in which, as investigators put it, he had 'made the entire world his enemy.' Investigators are also examining whether he has any history of psychiatric treatment or underlying mental health conditions.

The case is being treated as a major security incident, and the probe is expected to widen as forensic and cyber evidence is processed in the coming days.