Has Dawood Ibrahim Really Been Poisoned?

ISLAMABAD, (IANS) – Reports and rumors about a suspected poisoning of underworld don and absconder terrorist Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar have taken social media platforms by storm, making headlines on almost every mainstream media. While the news is still unconfirmed, many loopholes in the rumored development do not fit right.

This week started with a major news development, referring to a rumor that the underworld Dawood, residing in Karachi, has been poisoned by an “unknown man” and was shifted to a hospital in critical condition.

The news banked on a rumor and unknown source, further claiming that the 67-year-old has been living in Karachi with his second wife along with his three daughters and a son under tight security and away from the public glare.

It also claimed that the hospital where Dawood has been taken is also put under tight security.

While all the rumored claims are yet to be confirmed by a reliable source in Pakistan, the news itself does not seem to have been thoughtfully drafted.

Firstly, Pakistan has officially denied Indian claims that Dawood resides in Karachi or any other part of the country and therefore, would not confirm the rumor if it may be true.

And even if the rumor is to be seen at its face value, the claim that Dawood has been poisoned by an unknown man seems to be far from the actual position on the ground, especially about the fact that he is an underworld don and India’s most wanted man.

Reliable sources have said that it is almost impossible for any unknown person to have access to Dawood as he is surrounded by his most trusted people, family members, close aids, and security, who ensure that he is kept safe.

“It is almost impossible for any person to have such kind of access to Dawood Ibrahim. As I understand, he would be surrounded by his trusted security and aids. And even if he may be in Karachi or anywhere else, keeping him safe would remain the topmost priority of his people. So, reports about him being poisoned by an unknown man do not fit at all,” said one of the sources.

Dawood Ibrahim is an elderly man now. At the age of 67, it has been reported that he has medical issues and maintains his health through various medications. He may likely have gotten sick due to some medical issues, if only any part of the rumor is to be believed to be true.

In January 2023, it was reported that Dawood’s nephew confirmed to NIA that he had remarried in Pakistan and was living with his family in Karachi.

“Dawood Ibrahim has a second wife. Her name is Maizabin. He has three daughters Marukh, Mehrin and Mariya, and one son Mohin Nawaz,” Alishah Parkar, son of Dawood’s sister Haseena Parkar, had said in a statement given to NIA during November last year.

India has said Dawood has been living in Pakistan for decades now, adding that Pakistani authorities have provided proper protection awhile officially denying his presence in the country.

The prime cases for which India wants him include the March 12, 1993, Mumbai serial blasts — ranked the worst-ever terror strike in India — which claimed 267 people, much higher than the 166 who were killed in the terror attacks of November 26, 2008, that hit the country’s commercial capital.