Indore: Elderly Man Succumbs After Hospitalization, Family Points to Water Contamination
A 72-year-old man from the Bhagirathpura area of Indore passed away on Friday, following a prolonged hospital stay that began on December 29, 2025. His family has claimed that his death is linked to the ongoing water contamination crisis in the region, which has officially claimed 16 lives since December 24, when the epidemic was first recorded.
Family's Account of the Tragic Incident
The deceased, identified as Eknath Suryavanshi, was admitted to Bombay Hospital with severe symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting. According to his son, Nilesh Suryavanshi, the elderly man was kept on a ventilator until Thursday, when the family made the difficult decision to bring him home. "My father died on Friday. He was admitted with diarrhoea and vomiting, but his kidneys gave way, so did his heart. Doctors told me that it affected his brain while he was on a ventilator. We decided to bring him home," Nilesh recounted.
Political Attention and Official Silence
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited patients at Bombay Hospital, where he spoke with Nilesh during his father's hospitalization. "He has been in the hospital for over 30 days," Nilesh added, highlighting the prolonged nature of the illness. Despite the family's claims, the health department has not clarified whether this death is attributed to water contamination. Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr. Madhav Hasani remained unresponsive when asked about the case.
Background of the Deceased and Family's Grievances
Eknath Suryavanshi had worked in the Water Resources Department as a daily wage earner since 1983. He is survived by his wife, Shakuntala (63), two married daughters, and his son Nilesh, who lived with him in Bhagirathpura along with his wife and two children. Nilesh expressed frustration over the situation, stating, "The responsibility for the spread other than the illness should be fixed. It is easy to make scapegoat... of officials like the former commissioner. But the situation has existed for the last three years," referring to the contaminated water supply in Bhagirathpura.
Official Response and Investigation
A team led by a naib tehsildar visited Nilesh's house while he was cremating his father to record statements, but officials did not reply to further queries. Nilesh mentioned that the treatment costs were borne by the government. Meanwhile, Congress has claimed that after this death, 31 people have died in Bhagirathpura. The state government submitted before the high court that out of 23 deaths, 16 were attributed to diarrhoea, with the rest under investigation.
This incident underscores the ongoing health crisis in Indore, with families demanding accountability and clearer communication from authorities regarding the water contamination epidemic.
