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In Indore, deadline to supply clean water looms, toll rises

Medical teams are currently tracking households with young children, pregnant women and the elderly

3 min readBhopalJan 13, 2026 06:48 AM IST

Amid race to supply clean water to Indore area shaken by contamination deaths, 64-year-old becomes latest victim

Officials conduct inspection of drains and pipelines following a diarrhoea outbreak caused by contaminated water, at Bhagirathpura area, in Indore. (PTI)

The death toll in the Indore water contamination crisis continues to climb with the death of a 64-year-old man on Monday morning, even as the administration races to meet its deadline of supplying clean drinking water in the affected Bhagirathpura area within three days.

Now distrustful of taps, residents continue to rely on water supply from tankers. Streets in the area are lined with blue barrels and plastic containers as families line up each morning and evening to collect water. Many who can afford it have shifted to drinking bottled water or installing RO filters. Others boil and strain what they collect.

Bhagwandas Bharnay, 64, had been unwell for several days, suffering from persistent diarrhoea and dehydration before being admitted to a private hospital and later referred to Bombay Hospital. Doctors said he arrived in critical condition after having suffered a cardiac arrest en route, and was revived through CPR before immediately being placed on ventilator support.

Indore Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr Madhav Prasad Hasani said on Monday, “The patient was admitted to the ICU in a critical condition and passed away this morning.”

With his death, the death toll in the water contamination tragedy has risen to at least nine.

Also read | On the surface, Indore was India’s cleanest city. But underneath…

Medical teams are currently tracking households with young children, pregnant women and the elderly after dozens of cases of severe dehydration were reported in the first week of January. Doctors say three patients have remained on ventilator support for multiple days.

The Health Department has deployed teams across Bhagirathpura, moving door to door with ORS packets and zinc tablets while monitoring those with fevers, diarrhoea, and signs of dehydration.

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Municipal Commissioner Kshitij Singhal spent Sunday touring the area, watching sewer cleaning and inspecting borewell chlorination. Teams have been instructed to remove sludge immediately after drain clearing, disinfect public points and continuously broadcast warnings advising residents to boil water.

Government records show that the Indore district administration has distributed cheques of Rs 2 lakh to the families of 18 people in connection with the tragedy. The state has previously told the High Court that the death toll in connection with the contamination was eight.

Anand Mohan J

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

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