Indore: Amid mounting criticism over the deaths of at least four people following severe water contamination in Indore’s Bhagirathpura area, the Madhya Pradesh government on Friday removed the Indore Municipal Commissioner and suspended two senior officials. The state assured that emergency measures had brought the situation under control and there was “no abnormal increase” in new cases, the government informed the High Court earlier in the day.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, after reviewing the crisis, posted on X that his government would not tolerate any negligence that may have contributed to the tragedy. He announced the removal (transfer) of Municipal Commissioner Dilip Kumar Yadav, along with the suspension of Additional Municipal Commissioner Rohit Sissoniya and in-charge Superintendent Engineer of the Public Health Engineering Department Sanjeev Shrivastava.
Earlier, the state submitted a detailed 40-page status report in response to a Public Interest Litigation filed by Ritesh Inani. The report stated that the diarrheal outbreak caused by contaminated water was now under “effective control” with constant monitoring to prevent any resurgence.
According to official data, 294 patients were admitted since the outbreak began. Of them, 93 have been discharged, while 201 remain under treatment, including 32 patients in ICU. While the government confirmed four deaths, Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava claimed he had information indicating 10 fatalities, highlighting concerns over conflicting figures.
On-ground efforts continue, with joint teams from the district administration, municipal corporation and Health Department conducting door-to-door surveys, screening residents, identifying new cases, and distributing ORS sachets and zinc tablets to prevent complications.
Rejecting allegations in the PIL that victims were left unattended, the government stressed that a directive issued on December 30 mandated all private hospitals to provide completely free treatment, including diagnostics and medicines, to patients from affected areas, with full reimbursement guaranteed by the state.
The government also announced ₹2 lakh ex-gratia assistance to the families of the deceased, acknowledging that no financial aid could compensate for the loss of lives.
Meanwhile, political reactions escalated sharply. Former Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Uma Bharti demanded severe accountability, calling the incident a “sin” requiring “atonement” and urging strict punishment “from top to bottom.” She added that the episode was a major test for CM Mohan Yadav and said the government owed an apology to the victims.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also attacked the BJP government, accusing it of misgovernance and alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains silent whenever the poor suffer. He claimed Madhya Pradesh had become the epicentre of administrative failures, citing previous deaths linked to cough syrups, poor hospital hygiene and now contaminated water.
Adding to the controversy, senior MP Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya sparked outrage after using an objectionable remark (“ghanta”) when questioned by a TV journalist on the incident. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also condemned the silence of the Centre, questioning how such a tragedy could happen in Indore, a city repeatedly awarded as India’s cleanest.
The state government maintains the situation is stabilising, but public anger and political pressure over accountability continue to intensify.