New Delhi, Jan 2: A suspected case of drinking water contamination has claimed at least nine lives and sent more than 200 people to hospitals in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, triggering emergency health measures in the city, officials said.
The outbreak, reported from the Bhagirathpur area, has been traced to a leakage in a water pipeline that allowed bacterial contamination to enter the supply. Preliminary tests confirmed the presence of harmful bacteria, while detailed laboratory reports are awaited.
Health authorities said patients from the affected locality were admitted to multiple hospitals with symptoms of acute diarrhoea. Medical teams were rushed to the area and began door-to-door screening to identify fresh cases and prevent further spread of the infection.
District officials confirmed that the faulty section of the pipeline had been repaired and chlorine tablets were distributed among residents as a precautionary step to disinfect drinking water. More than 8,500 people were screened during the exercise, with several hundred found to have mild symptoms.
The incident has caused widespread concern, particularly after the death of a six-month-old infant, one of the youngest victims of the outbreak. Family members alleged that the child fell ill after consuming contaminated water supplied to their neighbourhood.
The crisis has also cast a shadow over Indore’s reputation as India’s cleanest city, a title it has held for eight consecutive years under the national cleanliness rankings. Authorities have assured residents that the situation is being closely monitored and additional safeguards are being put in place to prevent a recurrence.
Officials said further action would be taken once final test results confirm the extent of contamination.
