Indore contaminated water deaths: One-member commission blames delayed tender process
What's the story
A one-member judicial commission has confirmed that 24 people in Indore's Bhagirathpura died after consuming water contaminated with sewage. The contamination occurred between December 2025 and February 2026 through pipelines of the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC). The commission, headed by retired Madhya Pradesh High Court judge Justice Sushil Kumar Gupta, blamed a delayed tender process for laying a new Narmada-water pipeline as the main reason behind the epidemic.
Tender delay
IMC engineers held responsible
The commission's 150-page report, submitted to the Indore bench of the High Court, has not been made public due to a court order, amid locals insisting the toll is higher at 36.
However, Hindustan Times reported that Advocate Manish Yadav, a petitioner in the case, revealed that IMC engineers and an additional commissioner were held responsible for delaying the tender process.
This delay led to sewage mixing with drinking water supplied to households in Bhagirathpura.
Health impact
Pathogens found in contaminated water
The commission's findings revealed that gastrointestinal infections, diarrhea, and dehydration caused the deaths. Pathogens such as E. coli, Salmonella, and Vibrio cholerae were found in the contaminated water.
A second advocate involved in the proceedings told HT the report cleared then-IMC commissioner Dileep Yadav and Indore collector Shivam Verma of any wrongdoing in this case.
Compensation proposal
Commission recommends increasing compensation
The commission has also recommended increasing the compensation for the families of those who died from ₹2 lakh to ₹4 lakh, with a maximum of ₹20 lakh in certain loss categories. However, it did not specify the criteria for these categories.
The High Court has been hearing the case since December 24, 2025, and appointed Justice Gupta on January 27 to investigate various aspects of the outbreak, including its cause and source of contamination.