Laboratory investigations have conclusively identified contaminated drinking water as the source of a severe diarrhoea outbreak in Indore, which has resulted in at least four fatalities and left more than 1,400 people ill. Health officials confirmed the link after testing water samples from the affected area.
Source of Contamination Identified
Dr. Madhav Prasad Hasani, Indore's Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO), stated that a report from a local medical college pinpointed the contamination to water samples collected from Bhagirathpura. The area has become the epicentre of the crisis. The contamination originated from a leak in a main supply pipeline.
State minister Kailash Vijayvargiya provided preliminary details, indicating that sewage water had mixed with the drinking water supply near a police check post. A more detailed microbiological examination to identify the specific bacteria is underway and is expected to take eight to ten days.
Official Response and Relief Measures
Additional Chief Secretary Sanjay Dubey, overseeing the urban development department, clarified that while nine deaths have been reported from the area, post-mortem findings currently link only four deaths directly to the contaminated water. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has announced a compensation of ₹2 lakh for the family of each deceased victim.
Dubey held review meetings to finalise relief measures. Guidelines have been established to ensure funds are available and patient treatment costs are covered. Health department teams conducted door-to-door surveys in 1,714 households, examining 8,571 people. Of these, 338 individuals with mild symptoms received treatment at home.
Outbreak Timeline and Current Status
Residents of Bhagirathpura began flooding hospitals from Monday, presenting symptoms of vomiting, diarrhoea, and high fever. Officials traced the contamination to a critical infrastructure failure: sewage from a toilet at a local police check post seeped into the drinking water line.
Municipal officials explained that a contractor had allegedly routed the toilet's waste into a pit instead of connecting it to a proper septic tank and sewage network. This waste water then leaked into the main pipeline running beneath. After repairs and inspection, clean water was restored through the pipeline on Thursday, though a boil-water advisory remains in effect as a precaution.
Since the outbreak began eight days ago, 272 patients have been hospitalised. Currently, 201 patients remain under treatment, with 32 in intensive care units, while 71 have been discharged. The state government is now drafting a standard operating procedure for drinking water infrastructure across Madhya Pradesh to prevent future incidents.
