‘Sir… nothing is left, hand them over’:Families plead for ventilator patients in Indore; death toll from contaminated water rises to 21

Indore’s Bhagirathpura area continues to reel from a deadly outbreak caused by contaminated water. On Saturday, another woman, Sunita Verma, died, bringing the total deaths to 21. Dozens remain critically ill in hospital, while families struggle to cope with the ongoing tragedy. The government has launched health check-ups and precautionary measures to prevent further cases. 12 patients remain in critical condition Currently, 12 patients are in the ICU. Four of them are on ventilators. Their condition has remained critical for 8 to 10 days despite constant medical monitoring. Doctors say improvement is gradual. Families are distressed and fear for their loved ones’ lives. Families want patients taken home Some relatives are requesting to take patients home. They argue that the condition is unlikely to improve in hospital. Doctors caution that taking patients home is risky. Families are willing to take responsibility in writing, saying, “Hand them over to us in whatever condition they are in.” Organ damage and severe illness Many patients have suffered organ damage due to dehydration from vomiting and diarrhoea. Some have kidney or liver issues, while the illness has affected the brain in severe cases. Patients are receiving continuous care, but the condition remains fragile. Case of Satish Agrawal Satish Agrawal, a Marketing Executive, fell ill after drinking contaminated water in Bhagirathpura. Initially treated at a private hospital, he was referred elsewhere when his kidneys failed. He is now undergoing dialysis. The government is reluctant to include him in the compensation list as he is not a resident of Bhagirathpura. Case of Omprakash Sharma Omprakash Sharma, an elderly man from Dhar, died after consuming contaminated water in Bhagirathpura. His son, Gaurav Sharma, criticised authorities for demanding the victim’s local Aadhaar card. He said, “Does the virus attack someone only after checking their Aadhaar?” New cases continue On Saturday, 19 new diarrhoea patients were reported. Two required hospitalisation. So far, 420 patients have been admitted. Of these, 379 have been discharged, while 41 remain under treatment. Government response Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya reviewed the situation on Saturday. He said the health situation is gradually stabilising. A complete health campaign will check all 50,000–60,000 citizens in Bhagirathpura. Health cards will be issued, and free tests conducted. Water supply and safety measures Pipeline work is underway to provide safe Narmada water to Bhagirathpura. About 30% of pipelines have been laid and tested. New boring excavations will be banned. Chlorination has been completed in all 114 government and 80 private tubewells. Water testing continues to ensure safety.