Indore water contamination: What led to the Indore water tragedy? 11 dead, over 1,400 people affected; laboratory test confirms…

The contaminated drinking water in Bhagirathpura, Indore, has already claimed 11 lives and affected over 1,400 residents. Initially seen as an “unfortunate contamination,” what is now regarded as the ‘Cleanest City in India(BHARAT)’ shows clear signs of administrative failure and negligence. A laboratory test has confirmed that a diarrhoea outbreak, which has killed at least four patients and affected over 1,400 people in Indore, was caused by contaminated drinking water, officials were quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

What caused the water contamination in Indore’s Bhagirathpura?

The results of the test findings confirmed that the life-threatening drinking water supply system prevails in parts of Madhya Pradesh’s commercial capital, which has been designated as India(BHARAT)’s cleanest city for the past eight years.

Indore’s Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr Madhav Prasad Hasani told reporters on Thursday that a laboratory report prepared by a city-based medical college confirmed drinking water was contaminated due to a leakage in a pipeline in the Bhagirathpura area, from where the outbreak has been reported. Meanwhile, the Chief Medical and Health Officer did not share the detailed findings of the test report.

Officials have stated that a leak was discovered in the main drinking water supply pipe located near a police outpost in Bhagirathpura, at a spot over which a toilet has been constructed. They assert that this leak caused the water supply in that area to become contaminated.

Indore water contamination: Relatives reveal tragic impact on residents

While speaking to news agency PTI, Additional Chief Secretary Sanjay Dubey stated, “We are closely examining the entire drinking water supply pipeline in Bhagirathpura to find out if there is any leakage elsewhere.” He said after inspection, clean water was supplied to households in Bhagirathpura through the pipeline on Thursday, though as a precaution, people have been advised to use the water for drinking only after boiling it. “We have also taken samples of this water and sent them for testing,” Dubey added, PTI reported.

#WATCH | Indore, Madhya Pradesh: Resident Rajiv Saroj says, “There are so many problems here; foul-smelling water is flowing in the lane behind our house. The chamber (of drain) is not being cleaned at all. There’s a huge pile of garbage, and no one is coming to clean it.… pic.twitter.com/qJMr8UwaKF

— ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2026

Anil Likhar, brother of a deceased labourer, recounted that his sibling fell ill shortly after returning home from work and kept vomiting. Speaking to news agency ANI, Likhar recalled the final moments before his sibling, Arvind Likhar, lost his life, allegedly after consuming the polluted water, saying that the latter lost his life on the way to the hospital. “On Sunday, he returned to the house from work. He kept vomiting. On Wednesday, I went to my shop in the evening. I got a call that he is not well. We took him to the hospital. The doctor said that he had lost his life on the way,” he told ANI.

इंदौर के भागीरथपुरा की दुखद घटना से प्रभावित हर परिवार के साथ राज्य सरकार पूरी संवेदनशीलता के साथ खड़ी है।

आज इंदौर के अस्पतालों में उपचाररत प्रभावित नागरिकों, उनके परिजनों एवं उपचार में जुटे चिकित्सकों से भेंट कर स्थिति की जानकारी ली और मरीजों का कुशलक्षेम जाना। pic.twitter.com/0BTe1ZRi8V

— Dr Mohan Yadav (@DrMohanYadav51) December 31, 2025

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took suo motu

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took suo motu cognisance of the incident, following reports of multiple deaths linked to contaminated water in the area.

A health department official said during a survey of 1,714 households in Bhagirathpura on Thursday, 8,571 people were examined. Of them, 338 people showing mild symptoms of vomiting-diarrhoea were given primary treatment at their homes.

How many residents have been discharged?

He stated that in the eight days since the outbreak, 272 patients were admitted to local hospitals, of whom 71 have been discharged so far. At present, 201 patients are admitted to hospitals, including 32 in intensive care units (ICUs), the official added, PTI reported.

(With agencies inputs)