Indore Water Crisis: Mayor Reports 10 Deaths in Bhagirathpura as Residents Claim Toll is 14

Indore is dealing with a public health nightmare in what is supposed to be India’s cleanest city. As of Friday, January 2, 2026, the water contamination crisis in the Bhagirathpura area has triggered a massive clash over the actual death toll.

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The thing is, the official numbers and the ground reality are miles apart. Or nothing. Let’s be real, when the Mayor is publicly citing more deaths than the Health Department, you know the situation is spiraling. Those too.

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The “Death Toll” Discrepancy: Field Notes

It’s an ongoing situation where nobody seems to agree on how many people have actually died from this outbreak.

• Official Health Dept. Count: 4 deaths confirmed.

• Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava: Acknowledged 10 deaths as of this morning.

• Local Residents: Claiming at least 14 people have died, including a heartbreaking case of a six-month-old infant.

• The “Kicker”: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has already stepped in, issuing a notice to the MP Chief Secretary after reports suggested seven deaths earlier this week.

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The “Source” of the Horror

And here’s the kicker: the cause of this disaster is a case of extreme civic negligence.

• The Leak: A major breach was found in the main drinking water pipeline near a police outpost.

• The Contamination: A toilet was built directly over the leak without a proper safety tank. Sewage water basically seeped into the drinking water line for days.

• The Scale: Over 1,400 people have fallen ill with vomiting and diarrhoea in just the last nine days. Currently, 201 patients are in hospitals, with 32 in the ICU fighting for their lives.

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The “Cleanest City” Irony

Indore has won the “Cleanest City” award for years, but Bhagirathpura residents say they’ve been complaining about foul-smelling, bitter water since December 25.

• The Delay: A tender for a new water line was issued back in August, but the work was stalled for months.

• The Fallout: One official has been dismissed and two others suspended, but for families like Sunil Sahu’s—who lost their infant son born after a 10-year wait—it’s far too little, too late.

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What’s Happening Now?

• Repairs: The municipal corporation says the line has been cleaned and the leakage repaired as of yesterday.

• Testing: 26 out of 70 water samples showed bacterial contamination. Officials are now testing water across the entire city as a precaution.

• Advice: Residents are being told to boil water indefinitely.

Basically, the “emergency-like situation” (as the CM calls it) has exposed a massive hole in the city’s infrastructure. The government has announced ₹2 lakh compensation for the families of the deceased, but the anger in Bhagirathpura is only growing.

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