THE relatives of the four men who died after consuming a poisonous substance on Sunday night have called for a thorough investigation into their deaths.

The men died after drinking a mixture of wine and paint thinners, police said yesterday. But their relatives insisted that it was not accidental. They said someone laced the drink with the poison to harm the men.

Winston Seelal, 55, Mahadeo Roopchand, 40, Nazim Mohammed, 40, and Ramdeo Jugmohan, 49, were found frothing from the mouth after eating a meal of rice and chicken and drinking wine.

Three were dead before paramedics arrived to help them. Jugmohan died while undergoing treatment at the San Fernando General Hospital.

The incident happened at Seelal’s Rampersad Trace, Barrackpore home around 10.30 p.m.

Roopchand’s brother, Rampath Ramroop, said yesterday that the deaths were not accidental. ’My brother would not drink thinners just like that. Something went wrong. I think someone threw poison in the water or the bottle of wine,’ he said.

The bottle of home-made wine was bought from a roadside vendor, who has been selling the drink for almost 20 years, Ramroop said. ’I bought wine from him before and nothing happened, so someone did this to them,’ he said.

Autopsies performed on the bodies on Monday night revealed that the men died from ingesting a poison. Relatives said the bodies were bloated and discoloured within hours of their deaths.

Jugmohan’s wife, Brenda, said her husband would not drink paint thinners by accident. ’Something went wrong there and the police needs to find out what happened,’ she said.

Jugmohan, a carpenter, lived at Ramsingh Trace, Penal.

And Mohammed’s wife, Sharda, swore that her husband would not hurt himself or his family. ’My husband did not kill himself. People are saying we had an argument, but he would not do that. I know my husband. These men were killed by someone,’ she said.

Funerals for Seelal, Mohammed and Roopchan have been planned for this morning. A date has not been set for Jugmohan’s funeral.

Samples of water from a barrel outside Seelal’s house have been taken for testing. A bottle containing wine and four glasses have also been seized.

Barrackpore police are continuing investigations.