Police confirm door handle as source of novichok poisoning in Skripal case

On March 4, 2018, former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia fell ill on a bench in Salisbury due to novichok poisoning. Initially, locations such as a restaurant and a pub were suspected as the point of contamination. However, as the investigation unfolded, it became clear that traces of the nerve agent were found in multiple places, including Skripal's car and eventually inside his home. Commander Dominic Murphy led the counter-terrorism investigation, which mobilized 250 officers to determine the contamination source. After extensive testing, the door handle of Skripal's home was identified as 'ground zero', leading to concerns about contamination of investigators and the public's safety.