JANUARY 2 , 2026 (Ozi News Desk) : Amid the ongoing probe into the death of at least 9 people in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore, initial reports have confirmed the presence of bacteria that are “generally found in sewer water” in the drinking water samples. The laboratory tests have confirmed that contaminated drinking water was responsible for the vomiting-diarrhoea outbreak in the affected area.
According to the reports, the tests detected the presence of Vibrio cholerae, Shigella, and E. coli. Bacteria in the contaminated water. Notably, these pathogens are often known to cause severe gastrointestinal infections marked by acute diarrhoea and vomiting.
The outbreak was reported from Bhagirathpura, triggering serious concerns over water safety in Indore, a city that has topped India’s cleanliness rankings for eight consecutive years.
Contaminated Water Behind Diarrhoea Outbreak
According to Indore’s Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO), Dr Madhav Prasad Hasani, the laboratory analysis conducted at a city-based medical college confirmed that contaminated drinking water was the source of the illness.
Reportedly, the sewage entered the drinking water supply due to a leakage in an underground pipeline in the area. Officials stated that a major leak was found in the main water supply pipeline near a police outpost in Bhagirathpura, at a location where a toilet had reportedly been constructed above the line. The leakage is believed to have led to contamination in the area.
Additional Chief Secretary Sanjay Dubey, who is heading the probe committee, said the entire drinking water pipeline network in Bhagirathpura is being examined to check for further leakages.
After inspections, clean water was restored to households on Thursday, though residents have been advised to boil water before consumption as a precautionary measure, he added.
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Dubey said fresh water samples have been collected and sent for testing, and lessons from the Bhagirathpura incident would be used to frame a standard operating procedure (SOP) for the entire state to prevent similar outbreaks in the future.
According to the administration, the residents first complained of foul-smelling water around December 25, although some locals reported that the problem had persisted for weeks before worsening. A total of 14 deaths were initially reported from the area, but officials clarified that nine were directly linked to diarrhoea caused by contaminated water, while the others were due to co-morbidities or unrelated causes.
The scale of the outbreak remains significant. Officials said over 2,400 people have reported symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea so far. A health department survey conducted on Thursday covered 1,714 households and examined 8,571 people, of whom 338 with mild symptoms were treated at home.
In the eight days since the outbreak began, 272 patients were admitted to hospitals. Of these, 71 have been discharged, while 201 remain hospitalised, including 32 patients in intensive care units, officials said.
NHRC Issues Notice To MP Govt
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of the deaths and issued a notice to the Madhya Pradesh government, citing reports that residents had complained about contaminated water for several days without corrective action.
The NHRC stated that the incident raises serious concerns about human rights violations and has requested a detailed report from the Madhya Pradesh chief secretary within two weeks.
Authorities On Alert
Authorities have intensified surveillance of the city’s water supply system to prevent further outbreaks, while continuing to investigate possible lapses by officials and the condition of ageing pipelines.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav termed the outbreak an “emergency-like situation” and assured strict action against those responsible. He visited hospitals in Indore to review the condition of patients and later chaired a high-level meeting to assess the situation.