Indore’s ‘Cleanest City’ Title Tarnished: Government Panel Links 15 Deaths to Sewage-Tainted Drinking Water
A Madhya Pradesh government-appointed panel of doctors has determined that sewage contamination in the municipal drinking water supply caused at least 15 deaths in Indore’s Bhagirathpura locality, exposing critical lapses in infrastructure despite the city’s repeated recognition as India’s cleanest urban centre.
The crisis erupted on December 29, 2025, when residents began experiencing severe vomiting and acute diarrhoea after consuming tap water from the Narmada supply network. A five-member expert team from Mahatma Gandhi Medical College (MGM) in Indore reviewed medical records, treatment histories, clinical symptoms, and hospital documents related to 21 reported fatalities in the affected neighbourhood.
In its report submitted to the state government on January 13, 2026, the panel—comprising Dr Suraj Sahu, Dr Akhilesh, Dr Himanshu, Dr Sanjay Dubey, and Dr Sunil Soni—concluded that 15 of the deaths resulted directly from diarrhoea and associated complications triggered by the polluted water. Indore Divisional Commissioner Sudam Khade confirmed the findings, noting that post-mortem examinations were still pending in two cases. The other four deaths were attributed to unrelated conditions, including kidney failure and cardiac arrest.
Challenges in the investigation included the cremation of many bodies without autopsies and occasional discrepancies between family accounts and official records, compelling the team to base conclusions exclusively on available medical evidence.
The state health department has officially acknowledged six deaths linked to the contaminated supply. On humanitarian grounds, authorities distributed ₹2 lakh compensation to 18 families impacted by the tragedy. Health surveillance efforts continue, with teams screening 4,827 residents in a single day recently. Twelve fresh diarrhoea cases emerged that day, while 39 patients remain hospitalised, 10 of them in intensive care units.
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A notable recent fatality occurred on January 12, 2026 (reported in updates around January 13), when 72-year-old Bhagwan Bhame from Bhagirathpura succumbed at Bombay Hospital. Admitted on December 30 after developing vomiting and diarrhoea, he suffered cardiac arrest, required CPR and ventilator support, and ultimately died from multiple organ failure.
Separately, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has delivered its investigative findings on the Bhagirathpura incident to the National Health Mission in Bhopal, though contents have not been made public.
Repair work on affected Narmada pipelines has been undertaken, alongside enhanced monitoring to prevent further gastroenteritis cases. The episode has raised serious questions about the reliability of water delivery systems in a city celebrated for its sanitation achievements.