Indore Diarrhoea Outbreak: Audit Links 15 Deaths to Contaminated Water in Bhagirathpura

Indore’s reputation as India’s cleanest city is facing its grimmest test yet. As of Wednesday, January 14, 2026, a new audit report has finally put a number to the tragedy in Bhagirathpura.

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The thing is, the “cleanliness” was only surface-deep. Or nothing. Let’s be real, while the streets were swept, the drinking water pipes underneath were literally running through sewage. Those too.

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The “Bhagirathpura Audit” Log: Field Notes

It’s an ongoing situation where the official death toll and the ground reality are finally starting to collide.

• The Audit Verdict: A committee from MGM Medical College analyzed 21 deaths in the area. The thing is, they’ve linked 15 of those fatalities directly to the vomiting and diarrhoea outbreak. And then there’s the local claim—residents say the real number is at least 23, including a six-month-old baby.

• The “Toilet” Connection: And here’s the kicker—investigators found that a public toilet at a police outpost was built directly over a 30-year-old water main. Without a septic tank, raw sewage was just draining into the drinking water line. The thing is, residents had been complaining about “foul-smelling, bitter” water for days before the first death.

• The Surge: Since the outbreak started on December 29, a total of 436 people have been hospitalized. The thing is, while 403 have been discharged, 8 patients are still fighting for their lives in the ICU.

• Compensation vs. Stats: The administration has already handed out ₹2 lakh checks to 18 families. The thing is, they’re doing this on “humanitarian grounds” while still officially only confirming 6-8 deaths. Or as the High Court put it, it’s an “insensitive response” to a global news-making tragedy.

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Outbreak Snapshot: Jan 14, 2026

And Here’s the Kicker…

Indore isn’t alone. The thing is, this is part of a massive national spike where 26 cities—including Bengaluru, Chennai, and Patna—have reported sewage-water mixing in just the last month. And then there’s the High Court’s warning: this has brought a “bad name” to the cleanest city in the world.

It’s an ongoing situation where the Municipal Commissioner has been removed, but the residents of Bhagirathpura are still relying on water tankers because they don’t trust the taps.

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End…

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