Mumbai: Man Dies After Accidentally Consuming Fabric Stain Remover Mistaken for Cough Syrup

A 59-year-old laundryman from Lower Parel tragically died after accidentally consuming a chemical used for removing stains from clothes, mistaking it for cough syrup. The incident occurred on Wednesday night, and the man, who had been unwell for some time due to a persistent cough, consumed the liquid stored in an old medicine bottle. He was rushed to KEM Hospital in Parel on Thursday morning after vomiting blood, but despite treatment efforts, he passed away later that afternoon.

The deceased has been identified as Sambhaji Sajjai Dhobi, a resident and laundry shop owner near Deepak Talkies in Lower Parel. According to police, Sambhaji had developed a habit of storing various chemicals—including clothing dyes and detergents—in empty bottles of medicines and other household items. Unfortunately, one of these bottles, which originally contained an old cough syrup, had been reused to store a powerful stain remover.

On Wednesday night, Sambhaji consumed the contents of the bottle, believing it to be the same cough syrup he had been using previously. By Thursday morning, he began experiencing severe stomach pain and nausea, followed by vomiting blood. Family members rushed him to KEM Hospital, where doctors noted symptoms similar to poisoning and initiated treatment. However, his condition deteriorated rapidly, and he slipped into unconsciousness before being declared dead in the afternoon.

Given the unnatural nature of the death, hospital authorities informed the N.M. Joshi Marg Police Station. Officers reached the hospital and recorded statements from people close to the deceased. Investigations revealed that the chemical was ingested by mistake. Police have seized the bottle and sent it for forensic analysis.

Senior Police Inspector Arvind Chandanshive confirmed that an accidental death report has been registered, and further investigation is underway. Statements of a few acquaintances have also been recorded, establishing that Sambhaji had a history of storing laundry-related chemicals in medicine containers—a practice that ultimately led to this fatal confusion.