13 deaths due to contaminated water reported in Indore’s Bhagirathpura:Man rushes wife to hospital after sudden illness; doctors declare her dead

More than 200 people fell ill after consuming contaminated drinking water in Bhagirathpura area of Indore. By Wednesday, 13 deaths were reported from the locality. However, the district administration has so far officially confirmed four deaths as directly linked to contaminated water. In all confirmed cases, contaminated water has emerged as the primary cause. The deaths followed a similar pattern—sudden vomiting, loose motions, rapid dehydration, and deterioration within hours. Most of the victims were reportedly healthy before falling ill. Read the full report.. Uma Kori’s death threw light on the crisis One of the most distressing cases is that of 31-year-old Uma Kori. She lived in Bhagirathpura with her husband Bihari Kori. The family originally hails from Pathariya Bodha village in Sagar district and works at a furniture shop in Indore. Uma was also employed. On Sunday evening, Bihari bought jalebi from a local shop while returning from work. The couple ate the sweets at night and shared them with a brother and a neighbour living downstairs. After dinner, everyone went to sleep. Around 3 am, Uma began vomiting. Soon after, she developed loose motions. Initially, the family assumed it was a minor issue. As the night progressed, her condition worsened due to continuous vomiting and dehydration. Rushed to hospital, declared dead By morning, Uma was extremely weak. The family first consulted a nearby doctor, who advised immediate hospitalisation, stating that she had lost significant body fluids. With no vehicle available, Bihari asked his brother Babu to help. By around 11 am, Uma had lost consciousness. Babu drove the motorcycle while Bihari held Uma in between, supporting her body. They travelled nearly 7 km through traffic to reach Arvindo Hospital, where doctors declared her dead on arrival. Uma’s post-mortem was conducted on Tuesday. Following the formalities, her body was taken to her native village in Sagar district. Similar pattern seen in other deaths Uma’s case is not isolated. Other victims reported identical symptoms after consuming water supplied to the area. 1. Manjula Wadhe fell ill at night, died by morning Manjula Wadhe (74), wife of Digambar Wadhe, also died under similar circumstances. The family lives in Bhagirathpura. On Monday night, Manjula cooked food for the family. After dinner, one of her daughters left for Aurangabad. Around midnight, Manjula started vomiting and developed loose motions. Her husband cared for her throughout the night. By morning, her condition worsened, and she was taken to MY Hospital, where doctors declared her dead. Her family said Manjula had been treated for breast cancer five years ago and had fully recovered. She was healthy and active before the incident. 2. Seema Prajapat died within 5 hours Fifty-year-old Seema Prajapat also died after her health suddenly deteriorated. According to her brother Jitendra, Seema began vomiting around 4 am on Monday and soon developed loose motions. Her condition worsened rapidly. Family members rushed her to the hospital around 9 am, but she died on the way. The family said Seema had no prior illness.They also complained that water supplied in the area for the past week smelled of drainage and appeared to have excessive chlorine or bleaching content. 3. Urmila Yadav’s death confirmed after 2 days Urmila Yadav (70) fell ill on Friday evening with vomiting and diarrhoea. Her son Sanjay said she was admitted to Cloth Market Hospital the next morning and remained in the ICU for a day. She died on Sunday morning at around 11 am. Two days later, the administration confirmed her death was caused by contaminated water. Sanjay added that his 11-month-old son also fell ill after consuming water mixed with milk and is currently admitted to Chacha Nehru Hospital in critical condition. 4. Tara Bai, Gomti Rawat also among victims Tara Bai Kori (70), a resident of Bhagirathpura, also died after falling ill due to contaminated water. Another woman, Gomti Rawat, died under similar circumstances. Santosh Bilonia from the same locality also passed away. Family members of the victims stated that most of those who died were healthy before consuming the water. 5. Nandlal hospitalised for days before death Nandlal (75), son of Nathulal, was admitted to Verma Hospital on December 28. He died on Tuesday morning. According to Dr Abhyuday Verma, Nandlal was a blood pressure patient who was irregular with his medication. He suffered a cardiac arrest during treatment. Despite CPR, doctors could not revive him. Authorities later confirmed that contaminated water played a role in his deteriorating condition. 6. Jeevan Lal Barede died on December 28 Jeevan Lal Barede, who lived near a water tank in Bhagirathpura, died on December 28. His family said his health worsened after drinking contaminated water. Other family members also had to be hospitalised. Residents pointed out stagnant dirty water accumulated behind the street, raising concerns about leakage and contamination. 7. Infant Avyaan Sahu also dies A five-month-old infant, Avyaan Sahu, died on Wednesday. His family said the baby was fed external milk mixed with water supplied to the area. Avyaan’s mother questioned why infant deaths were not being prominently reported, claiming more children might have been affected. Municipal corporation sets up control room Following the outbreak, Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) set up a control room to address complaints related to the Narmada water supply system. Residents can register complaints on mobile numbers 7440443500 and 7440440511. Sub-engineer Shalabh Sharma has been appointed in charge of the control room, with four employees deployed in shifts. Officials suspended, inquiry ordered Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav took cognisance of the incident and ordered strict action. Zonal Officer Shaligram Shitole was suspended. Services of In-charge Assistant Engineer (PHE) Yogesh Joshi were terminated, and In-charge Deputy Engineer Shubham Srivastava was removed. A three-member inquiry committee has been formed. IAS officer Navjeevan Panwar will head the panel, with Superintendent Engineer Pradeep Nigam and Medical College Associate Professor Dr Shailesh Rai as members. The Chief Minister announced financial assistance of ₹2 lakh each to the families of the deceased. The investigation committee has been directed to submit its report at the earliest to fix responsibility and prevent further incidents.