Indore Diarrhoea Crisis: 10 Dead, 1,400+ Hit as Leaky Pipeline Under Public Toilet Poisons Water in Bhagirathpura
At least ten people in Indore’s Bhagirathpura area have died, 272 have been hospitalized and more than 2,800 fell sick in the past 10 days from drinking contaminated water provided by the municipal corporation.
Aadrika Tayal 
New Delhi (India) January 2,2026: Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava said he had received information about 10 deaths due to a diarrhoea outbreak caused by contaminated water in the Bhagirathpura area of the city.
Deadly Leak: Pipeline Under Toilet Contaminates Supply
The diarrhoea outbreak in Indore has killed at least 4 people and killed over 1,400, officials said. The results have been devastating to drinking water supply in parts of the capital of Madhya Pradesh.
The leak was in the main drinking water supply pipeline, officials said, near a police outpost in Bhagirathpura, above which a toilet had been built. They said the leak caused contamination of the water that came into the region.
Govt Response: Boiled Water and New SOPs Ahead
Sanjay Dubey, the Additional Chief Secretary, said the authorities were investigating the entire drinking water pipeline at Bhagirathpura for additional leaks. Dubey said households were given clean water through a pipeline Thursday after inspection but residents should drink it only after boiling.
Water samples have also been collected and sent for testing. In reference to the incident Dubey said the state government would issue a standard operating procedure for the entire state to prevent similar outbreaks in the future. He visited Bhagirathpura to review the situation on the instructions of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.
NHRC Slams Neglect
The NHRC, noting the concern over the situation, has pointed out that the main pipeline delivering drinking water to the area is found to be passing beneath a public toilet and thereby deteriorating the quality of the water provided.
The NHRC, “Reportedly, the residents had been complaining about the supply of contaminated water supply for several days, but no action was taken by the authorities. According to the media report, the main pipeline, which supplies drinking water to the area, passes beneath a public toilet. Due to a leakage in the main line, sewage water reportedly mixed with the drinking water. Besides, several water distribution lines were also found broken in the area, due to which contaminated water was reaching the households.”
Outbreak Toll and Survey Details
During a survey of 1,714 households in Bhagirathpura on Thursday, 8,571 individuals were examined, a health department officer stated. Of these, 338 people with mild symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea received primary treatment at their homes.
The official noted that 272 patients had been admitted to local hospitals over 8 days, 71 of whom were discharged. Currently, 201 patients are still hospitalized, 32 in intensive care units.
