Exclusive: Questions Over Death Toll Cover-Up in Indore Water Tragedy as Official Figure Pegged at Four

Indore: An effort to understate the death toll has surfaced in the Bhagirathpura water contamination case in Indore, with Republic learning of sharp discrepancies between official statements and local inputs. 

Republic spoke to Indore Chief Medical and Health Officer Madhav Prasad Hasani, who claimed that only four deaths had been confirmed so far, even as reports from the area suggest the number could be significantly higher.

Hasani told Republic that all four confirmed deaths were caused by acute diarrhoeal disease. He said several patients were admitted to intensive care units in different hospitals across the city, but asserted that only one patient was in a critical condition and had been put on a ventilator. 

According to him, the remaining ICU patients were stable and out of danger. He also admitted that different hospitals were following different lines of treatment based on their individual medical assessments.

Water contamination behind deaths: CMHO

On the suspected cause of the illness, Hasani stated water contamination was the most likely reason, as there was no evidence that all affected patients had consumed the same food. Residents of Bhagirathpura had earlier complained that the drinking water supplied to the area had an unusual smell, raising alarms over the safety of the supply.

Republic made multiple attempts to contact Indore’s Regional Director of Health, Dr Shaji Joseph and CMHO Hasani for clarification. Dr Joseph disconnected the call and refused to respond thereafter. 

In a confrontation with the Republic, Hasani declined to confirm local inputs indicating over 10 deaths, reiterating that he could officially confirm only four fatalities. He again stressed that only one patient was on ventilator support.

Strong action against top officials

The controversy has emerged amid strong action by the Madhya Pradesh government. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced on Friday that Indore Municipal Commissioner Dilip Kumar Yadav had been removed. 

Additional Municipal Commissioner Rohit Sissoniya and Public Health Engineering superintendent engineer Sanjeev Shrivastava had been suspended. The chief minister stated the government would not tolerate negligence in the matter.

More than 1,400 people have fallen ill in Bhagirathpura since December 24, reporting symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea and dehydration. Over 200 patients have been hospitalised as investigations into the source of the contamination continue.

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