At least nine people have died and more than 150 others have been hospitalised after consuming contaminated drinking water in Indore’s Bhagirathpura area of Madhya Pradesh. An official inquiry into the incident has detected the presence of bacteria “generally found in sewer water” in samples collected from the affected locality, officials familiar with the findings said.
The state government has announced emergency measures following widespread public outrage, with residents alleging that complaints about water contamination were ignored for days before the situation worsened.
Bacteria detected in water samples
Three days after patients began reporting symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea, officials told HT on Thursday that preliminary inquiry results pointed to bacterial contamination typically associated with sewer water. Samples from the area showed signs of abnormal bacteria linked to human waste, they said.
Authorities had earlier indicated that the contamination may have been caused by a sewage line leaking into a drinking water pipeline. While initial findings support this possibility, officials said further test results are awaited before confirming the exact pathogen, as previously reported by HT.
Dr Arvind Ghanghoria, dean of Mahatma Gandhi Medical College, Indore, said the investigation is still underway. “The initial report has confirmed the presence of abnormal bacteria generally found in sewer water, comprising human waste. However, identification of the specific bacteria will only be possible once the culture report is received. Stool test reports of the affected patients are also awaited, which will help clarify the cause,” he said.
NHRC, high court seek reports
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of the incident and issued a notice to the Madhya Pradesh government, seeking a detailed report within two weeks.
“Reportedly, residents had been complaining about the supply of contaminated water for several days, but no action was taken by the authorities,” the NHRC said in a statement.
The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh high court has also directed the state government to submit a detailed report on the incident, asking for full disclosure of the circumstances leading to the contamination.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced financial assistance of ₹2 lakh for the families of those who died and assured free medical treatment for all affected patients.
According to local officials, residents first raised concerns about an unusual smell in the water supply on December 25. “The issue had been persisting for the past few weeks but worsened on December 25,” a resident said.
Officials added that the number of people falling ill continues to rise. So far, 2,456 residents of Bhagirathpura have reported symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea, with 162 requiring hospitalisation.
