Mumbai, October 20: A probe into the ' mystery deaths' of five family members in Gadchiroli's Mahagao region in Maharashtra has revealed a dark murder plan hatched by two close female relatives using an extremely lethal poison—thallium. Thallium, sometimes known as the 'poisoner's poison' due to its lack of colour, aroma, or taste, was used as a murder weapon to kill Shankar P Kumbhare and his wife Vijaya, as well as their two daughters and son. Their eldest son, the driver, and a relative became ill as well but have since recovered in the hospital.

All of the victims became ill unexpectedly and died within three weeks, between September 20 and October 10. The mysterious serial killings sparked panic and accusations of voodoo in the village and nearby regions until police arrested Kumbhar's daughter-in-law Sanghamitra and relative, Roza Ramteke on Wednesday, October 18. Mumbai Shocker: Woman Kills Husband by Mixing Arsenic, Thallium in Food in Santacruz; Two Arrested.

Here's What Happened

Sanghamitra, a 22-year-old agricultural scientist, had obtained the thallium from the nearby Telangana state in order to kill her husband and in-laws. Her motive was to avenge her father's death, and she collaborated with Roza to inflict a prolonged, agonising death on her in-laws over a 20-day period via consumption of moderate to extremely high dosages of thallium.

According to police, Sanghamitra scoured the internet and meticulously planned the murder after her father committed himself five months ago at his Akola house, unable to tolerate the alleged cruelty imposed on her by her husband and in-laws. While lab testing revealed the presence of large levels of the heavy metal toxin (250 units) in the bloodstreams of the victims, doctors were originally perplexed by the symptoms. The inconspicuous tribal village in Maoist-hit Gadchiroli, too, had police perplexed by the unusual, sophisticated murder instrument. Mumbai Shocker: Man Poisoned to Death by Wife, Her Lover For Property in Santacruz; Both Arrested.

What is Thallium?

According to the US-based Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is a soft, heavy, inelastic metal discovered by Sir William Crookes in 1861.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is the United States' main public health agency. Thallium, sometimes known as the 'poisoner's poison,' is tasteless and odourless and has been employed as a difficult-to-detect poison by murderers.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 20, 2023 04:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).