Indore water crisis: Contaminated water claims 23 lives, investigation on
A contaminated water tragedy has hit Indore's Bhagirathpura area, where residents fell ill after drinking tap water on December 31, 2025, and investigators later found sewage had intruded into drinking water pipes.
Since then, at least 23 people have died after falling seriously ill with vomiting and diarrhea. A government status report lists seven named deaths that include a five-month-old baby.
Hundreds more have been hospitalized as the community reels from the outbreak.
What went wrong and what's happening now
The problem started when old pipelines laid next to sewers let dirty water seep into the main supply during low pressure.
A government death audit found 15 deaths may be linked to the outbreak, though locals say the toll is even higher.
With trust in tap water shaken, residents are turning to RO filters, borewells, and bottled water for safety.
A High Court hearing is set for January 20 as officials investigate how this happened—and how to keep it from happening again.
This isn't just an Indore issue; similar incidents have caused dozens of deaths across India over the past year.