WEB DESK: At least nine people have died, and over 200 have been hospitalized in Indore, central India, after a diarrhoea outbreak linked to contaminated drinking water, according to officials. The issue stemmed from a pipeline leak in the Bhagirathpur area, where bacteria was detected in the water supply.
Among the deceased is a six-month-old infant, born to his parents after a decade-long wait. The grieving family alleged that the child fell fatally ill after consuming polluted water supplied to their locality.
Sunil Sahu, the child’s father, said his son developed diarrhoea after drinking contaminated water and was taken for medical treatment. Sahu claimed that despite treatment, the baby’s condition worsened at night with high fever and vomiting and the child died at home on December 29.
Madhav Prasad Hasani, Indore’s chief medical officer, stated that over 200 individuals are undergoing treatment while awaiting final water test results.
District officer Shravan Verma reported that a faulty pipeline causing the contamination had been repaired. Authorities also conducted door-to-door screenings, identified 338 mild cases among 8,571 screened residents, and distributed chlorine tablets to purify water.
Known as India’s cleanest city, Indore has consistently topped national cleanliness rankings for eight years straight.
