After Indore water deaths, 162 remain hospitalised as probe tightens

A serious public health crisis has unfolded in Indore’s Bhagirthpura area after contaminated drinking water triggered a widespread outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea, leaving at least seven people dead and exposing deep failures in civic oversight and basic infrastructure.

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav on Wednesday described the situation as “emergency-like” as he visited hospitals in the city to review the condition of patients and chaired a high-level meeting with officials. He said he had been informed of four deaths linked to the outbreak, though local authorities later confirmed that the toll had risen to at least seven.

Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava acknowledged the deaths but did not disclose details of the victims. Local residents, however, claim the situation is graver, alleging that at least nine people, including a six-month-old infant and six women, have died within a week after consuming contaminated water.

According to the state government, around 40,000 residents of Bhagirthpura were screened during a massive health drive, with 2,456 suspected cases identified. Of these, 212 patients were hospitalised; 50 have since been discharged, while 162 remain under treatment. Officials said the condition of most hospitalised patients is stable.

The chief minister warned that negligence would not be tolerated and promised the “strictest possible action” against those responsible. He directed officials to inspect drinking water and sewerage lines across Indore to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Following preliminary inquiries, the municipal corporation suspended a zonal officer and an assistant engineer, while the services of an in-charge sub-engineer were terminated. The state government has also indicated that fresh appointments will be made to address staff shortages in the civic body.

Officials said the contamination was likely caused by a leakage in the main water supply pipeline, over which a toilet had reportedly been constructed. This may have allowed drainage wastewater to seep into the drinking water system, a lapse that has raised serious questions about monitoring and enforcement by civic authorities.

A three-member committee headed by an IAS officer has been constituted to probe the incident.

For residents, the official assurances offer little comfort. Sunil Sahu, a Bhagirthpura resident, told reporters that his six-month-old son Avyan died on December 29 after developing severe vomiting and diarrhoea. He said the family had mixed packaged milk with tap water supplied by the municipal corporation, unaware it was contaminated.

Health officials said more than 1,100 people have been affected in some form over the past week, with around 150 requiring hospitalisation. Preliminary findings point to sewage entering the drinking water pipeline due to leakage, triggering the outbreak.

As Indore, often showcased as India’s cleanest city, grapples with this crisis, the incident has cast a harsh spotlight on ageing infrastructure, weak supervision and delayed responses, even as authorities promise accountability and corrective measures.

With agency inputs