Rare toxin found in UP bizman’s blood, attempt to murder FIR filed

LUcknow: A Varanasi-based man of affairs was allegedly poisoned with atomic number 81, a rarefied and extremely toxic substance, prompting the law to register an attempt to murder case in an incident reminiscent of the slow-poisoning plot in the recently released Hindi movie, Dhurandhar: The Revenge film.The victim has been identified as businessman Sandeep Singh (41), a former Samajwadi Party Chhatra Sabha national general secretary, an officer said.“A first information report (FIR) was lodged under BNS Section 109(1) (attempt to murder) at the Kotwali police station against unknown persons in Varanasi on Wednesday night based on the complaint by Khushboo Singh, wife of Sandeep Singh,” Kotwali SHO Dayashankar Singh said.The SHO added that police are probing whether the suspected poison was administered during travel, hospitalisation, business meetings or through food consumed outside the home.Singh, who runs two transport firms linked to road construction logistics, is currently undergoing treatment at his Lucknow residence under medical supervision, his family members said.The case has triggered concern due to the nature of the toxin, which is rare, difficult to detect and often mimics neurological disorders in its early stages. In her complaint, the victim’s wife has alleged that an unidentified person might have administered the poison with an intent to kill. The family grew suspicious after doctors at a Mumbai hospital reportedly detected traces of thallium in his blood.According to the FIR, Singh first fell ill in late February 2025 while in Gurugram, where he had accompanied an acquaintance undergoing treatment. Initial symptoms—fever, tingling in the legs, body pain and vomiting—progressively worsened into a severe neurological condition.He was first admitted to Medanta Hospital and later shifted to Max Super Speciality Hospital, where doctors reportedly suspected Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS). As his condition deteriorated, he was airlifted to PD Hinduja Hospital in Mumbai, where toxicology tests confirmed the presence of thallium in his bloodstream, the FIR said.Sandeep Singh’s brother, Ajit Singh, said: “We first lodged a zero FIR at Mahim police station in Mumbai on March 30, 2025, soon after doctors suspected poisoning. The police subsequently transferred the complaint to UP Police because the place of occurrence did not fall under their jurisdiction. However, the case file was sent back to Mumbai nearly five months later, resulting in a delay in formal registration and investigation.”“The FIR was finally registered on Wednesday, (weeks) after the Mumbai police commissioner again raised the matter with UP Police officials on February 27, 2026 regarding the transfer of the complaint and the progress of the probe,” he added.Medical literature describes thallium as the “poisoner’s poison” because it is colourless, odourless and tasteless, making it extremely difficult to detect if mixed with food or drink.Providing a forensic perspective, Dr Richa Chaudhary, head of the forensic medicine and toxicology department at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, said symptoms vary depending on the dose and compound form, such as thallium sulphate or acetate. “Mild toxicity may present with nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, while severe poisoning can lead to hematemesis, massive diarrhoea and even death due to respiratory failure,” she said.Chaudhary added that thallium poisoning often follows a clinically recognisable timeline. “Peripheral neuropathy typically begins after two to three days, while alopecia develops after around 10 days,” she said, noting a classic diagnostic triad—skin rashes (often in a butterfly distribution over the face), peripheral neuropathy and hair loss—which is considered highly suggestive in toxicology assessment.Experts said the toxin damages the nervous system by mimicking potassium and entering cells, leading to gradual neurological decline.The investigation is underway, said police.