Political Clash In Indore: 45 Congress Functionaries Detained Over Water Tragedy Protest

The clash involved scuffles, slogan-shouting, and even the hurling of slippers. Following the incident, police detained 45 Congress members, including 10 women, as a “precautionary measure” to restore order. Those detained included former state minister Sajjan Singh Verma and MLAs Mahesh Parmar and Pratap Grewal.

The Bhagirathpura Water Crisis: A Mounting Toll

The political standoff comes as the death toll from contaminated municipal water remains a point of heavy dispute between the administration and local residents.

• Official Toll: The District Collector has officially confirmed 6 deaths, though Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava stated on Friday that information suggests at least 10 fatalities.
• Resident Claims: Local residents and opposition leaders claim the actual toll is as high as 16 deaths, including a 6-month-old infant, Avyan Sahu.
• Hospitalizations: Over 200 people remain hospitalized across 41 city hospitals, with 34 patients currently in Intensive Care Units (ICUs).
• The Cause: A preliminary probe revealed that a primary drinking water pipeline passing beneath a public toilet had a major leakage, allowing sewage water (containing E. coli and Klebsiella bacteria) to mix with the Narmada water supply.

Government Action: Heads Roll in the Civic Body

Under fire for the tragedy, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav took stern administrative action on Friday evening:

1. Municipal Commissioner Removed: Dilip Kumar Yadav has been transferred to the state secretariat.
2. Senior Officials Suspended: Additional Municipal Commissioner Rohit Sissoniya and PHE Superintendent Engineer Sanjeev Shrivastava were suspended for “negligence.”
3. Compensation: The state has announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh for the families of the deceased, though some families have reportedly refused the money, demanding accountability instead.

“Red Flags Ignored”: A local BJP corporator, Kamal Waghela, claimed he had been warning the Indore Municipal Corporation about the “worn-out” pipelines since 2023, but his requests were allegedly ignored by the now-removed officials.

Comparison of Casualty Figures