Indore Water Contamination Kills 11 People
A contaminated water pipeline in Indore’s Bhagirathpura area has caused 11 deaths and sickened over 1,400 people.
Indore, Madhya Pradesh, which has been ranked India’s cleanest city for the eighth year in a row, is facing a serious civic crisis after contaminated drinking water caused a major outbreak of diarrhoea and vomiting in the Bhagirathpura area.
Officials from the Indore Municipal Corporation confirmed that a leak was found in the main water pipeline supplying Bhagirathpura. A police chowki was constructed directly over this pipeline. The water line passes beneath a toilet structure, where waste was draining into a pit above the pipe. A loose joint in the pipeline allowed sewage to mix with drinking water.
So far, 11 people have died and over 1,400 residents have fallen ill after consuming the contaminated water. Health department data shows that 310 patients were admitted to hospitals since 24 December 2025. The tragedy includes the death of a five-month-old infant, Avyan, son of Sunil Sahu. The family boiled diluted cow milk using tap water, but the child developed diarrhoea on 26 December and died within three days.
Public anger has grown because the issue was known earlier. In August 2025, a ?2.4 crore tender was floated to replace the same pipeline due to complaints of foul-smelling water. However, no work was done until deaths occurred.
Engineers noted that contamination was limited to Bhagirathpura despite 105 water tankers supplying the city, indicating the need for a detailed investigation. CM Helpline data shows Indore leads in dirty water complaints, with 11 complaints from Bhagirathpura alone.
After the incident, the state government issued new water safety rules. Meanwhile, Congress leader Jitu Patwari accused the BJP government of misgovernance and hiding the real death count.
